First Dog Fala

by Elizabeth Van Steenwyk, Michael G. Montgomery (Illustrator)

Overview

Meet the Scottish terrier who won the hearts of a United States president and the American people.

In 1940, Fala came to live with President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the White House. The little dog played in the grass outside the Oval Office, attended important meetings with the president's advisors, and even dined with the president.

But as America was drawn into the conflict of a world war, life at the White House changed. Fala accompanied the president across the country and around the world, waiting with him for the return of American servicemen and an end to a terrible war.

Author Elizabeth Van Steenwyk offers young readers a glimpse into American history and the life of an American president through the story of a loyal dog. Michael G. Montgomery's full-color illustrations capture the indomitable spirit of Fala and the nation and president who loved him.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781682635926
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	07/25/2023
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	10.91(w) x 8.37(h) x 0.14(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Elizabeth van Steenwyk was the award-winning author of more than seventy books for young people. After graduating from Knox College, she spent ten years writing for radio and television with a concentration on children's programming. She died in 2021.

Michael G. Montgomery attended Georgia Southern University and the University of Georgia and has created illustrations for magazines, books, newspapers, and advertising. The illustrator of several books for children, he lives in Georgia.

Editorial Reviews

"A real charmer"—Booklist

"A delightful, quick read"—School Library Journal

"An engaging package."—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

Fala has to be one of the best known of presidential pets, the dedicated companion of Franklin Roosevelt throughout the World War II years of his presidency. The Scottish terrier was presented to Roosevelt as a puppy and outlived him by several years, but this effort follows Fala just through the end of Roosevelt's life, making the book more a brief biography of the president during the war than of his pet. Each spread contains a few paragraphs of text accompanied by Montgomery's quick pencil vignettes and a large, Fala-centered oil-on-canvas illustration, rendered in warm, muted colors that capture the somber mood of the times. Fala is charming in the illustrations, although those that show Roosevelt don't quite capture his facial appearance. As a very brief biography, the book works well: The inclusion of the pet story makes it palatable for younger readers who aren't looking for a history lesson, but it also decreases the amount of information that can be included about Roosevelt. Taken together, an engaging package. (Informational picture book. 6-10)

Kirkus Reviews