Eleanor, Quiet No More

Eleanor: Quiet No More by Doreen Rappaport follows the pattern Rappaport has used in her other biographies for children: her own biographical passages about the subject are punctuated with actual quotes by the biographee.

Rappaport’s book describes Eleanor's unhappy childhood (her mother thought Eleanor was “ugly and too serious”), the death of both parents before she was ten, and how Eleanor then grew up in the loveless house of her grandmother.

When Eleanor was 15, she was sent away to boarding school, and was fortunate to have a teacher who believed in her and encouraged her. When Eleanor came home at 18, she was a different person, and one who had developed compassion for those with less than she had.

A distant cousin, Franklin show more Delano Roosevelt, proposed to her, and she became a politician’s wife, and then a behind-the-scenes politician herself. She continued to crusade for poor and minorities even after her husband died, meeting with world leaders and advocating for human rights.

End notes add a list of important dates in ER’s life, selected research sources, and suggested further reading.

The muted pastel illustrations by Gary Kelley are adeptly done.

Evaluation: Generally in her biographies Rappaport emphasizes the positive and elides the negative, but she does a more balanced job here (and in truth, there isn’t much negative to say about Eleanor Roosevelt). show less

This is an amazing children’s’ book for several reasons. First, it details something that actually happened in history, which could coincide very well with a Social Studies unit on past presidents or World War II. Also, it draws attention to Eleanor Roosevelt and her efforts in making the world a better place, and not just her through the perspective as a former First Lady. Next, the plot includes information about her growing up and how she came to be such an influential member of society. Students can relate to the events of her earlier life and hopefully see themselves continuing on to do important things later in life, just as Eleanor did. Additionally, the writing of the text is very moving because after all of the narration by show more the author, each page includes one or two famous quotes by Eleanor. For example, on one page the author narrates, “She spoke out against racism and anti-Semitism and the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II” which is later followed by Eleanor’s famous quote “Do what you feel in your heart to be right- for you’ll be criticized anyway”. These connections from the text to the quotes by Eleanor depict her unwavering spirit and determination to fight for what she believed was right, and pushes readers to realize that they do not have to accept everything they are told and have the freedom to challenge what they see. The central idea of this story is that people should fight for what they believe in, which is told through the perspective of Eleanor Roosevelt’s life. show less

A beautifully illustrated book which highlights Eleanor Roosevelt's life from her childhood wherein she was born into a life of priviledge, though as she proved, it is true that money cannot buy happiness. Treated with cruelty by her beautfiul, high-society mother, she was consistently called her ugly and stupid. She carried this and felt ugly and thought she would never belong. She overcame the death of her mother and her much loved father, and pushed herself to overcome the negativety and nastiness to become one of the best-known First Ladies of the United States.

Her future husband, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, was drawn to her intelligence and innter beauty. They were married and became parents of five children. She suppored her show more husband throughout his presidencies, and after he contracted polio, she became his right and left hand. She traveled world wide, was at the forefront of American civil rights, and was a strong advocate of the poor and needy.

After FDR died, she continued to be a strong advocate of making the United States well known world wide. President Harry Truman appointed her to the United Nations. After two years of service, the committee framed a declaration of rights for people throughout the world. Stating "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights." Eleanor continued to represent the down-trodden and poor throughout her life. A strong advocate for civil rights and equality for all, she was quoted as saying "Decent housing is a basic human right that society is morally and politically obligate to provide all of its citizens.".""Very early I knew there were men and women and children who suffered."

She personally responded to thousands and thousands of letters received. Her high energy level enabled her to travel the world while making America better.

She continues to amaze me and I read many books both written by her, and biographies about her. show less

Not a read aloud book, despite the simple looking text. This book is very heavy and dark, both in content and in illustration. I liked the content and it portrayed a very wonderful and brave woman in American history, but I would hesitate to recommend it to a young audience.

Eleanor, Quiet No More is a interesting read about the life of Eleanor Roosevelt. The book gives just enough detail not to overwhelm the reader. However, if you are interested in Eleanor Roosevelt, this book would not have enough detail. It gives a very watered down and brief tale of Eleanor's life. I would have liked to know more. Overall, this was a good and interesting read. It made me want to find out more about Eleanor Roosevelt. I would suggest this book to other readers interested in Eleanor Roosevelt.

Rappaport tells Elanor's story wonderfully. This is a fantastic informational picture book, and it is easy to see why it is an Orbis Pictus recommendation. It truly is high-quality children's literature. I have enjoyed other historical nonfiction by Rappaport, and reading this book makes me want to delve further into her books. When we are first introduced to Eleanor in this text, she is a quiet, shy child who yearns for love and affection. It is an inspirational story of a woman who finds her voice and purpose in life. Eleanor was an extraordinary woman who dedicated her life to helping others whom were less fortunate than she was. What a powerful lesson and story for all students.

A really good summary of Eleanor Roosevelt's life, hitting the important points that shaped her legacy. All those quotes of hers that are so famous (many of which are included in the book) are much more compelling in the context of her story, because you can see that they stem from her own challenges and growth.