Roosevelt Banks, Good-Kid-in-Training

This is a good book for kids in younger grades (up to 3rd grade). A wonderful story of learning to do what is right even when it is hard. And the bonus lesson if not judging a book by its cover because people can surprise you.

This was a good book for kids ages 7 to 11. My daughter enjoyed it and said she thought her friends would like it too. Roosevelt Banks tends to get into a lot of trouble but when his parents say he has to be good for two weeks in order to get a new bike he learns about being a good person to his friends and community. This is a great book for kids to learn about how to be a good friend. My daughter and I are grateful to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a honest review.

Roosevelt Theodore Banks is 10-years-old and in the fourth grade. His little sister's name is Kennedy and his dog's name is Millard Fillmore. Roosevelt's dad is a history professor at a local college and loves to talk about presidential trivia.

Roosevelt is an average kid who likes to have fun with his friends. He has two good friends that he hangs-out with every day after school. When his friend's father plans a thirty-mile bike ride and camping trip, Roosevelt will not be included because he does not have a bike.

The only way Roosevelt will get a new bike and go camping with his friends is to be "good" for two weeks. His parents promise him they will get him a bike if he passes the good kid requirement. That means he can't get in trouble at school and he must help with chores at home.

Everything seems to go wrong while Roosevelt is trying to act right. There are lots of unexpected twists and turns before the end of the two weeks. Will his behavior be good enough?

This is a good fast-paced chapter book for middle school readers. Boys will relate to the problems that Roosevelt faces in the story. The humor is outstanding and will have children laughing out loud while reading about some of Roosevelt's escapades.

The primary theme of this story is friendship. It is very important for children this age to be accepted by peers and have loyal friends. Roosevelt has to face rejection when his friends are preparing for the bike ride/camping trip and he no longer has a bike (his bike was wrecked while doing a science fair project).

Roosevelt's parents are supportive and help him resolve a problem that almost costs him the bike. Roosevelt learns that honesty is important in any relationship and taking responsibility for your actions is the best choice for success.

The illustrations add value and humor to the story.

I applaud the author for adding a few historical references to this story. I hope this will make young readers curious enough to head for the library and search for more information about U.S. presidents.

Recommended for students in grades 3 - 5.

Roosevelt wants to go on a biking trip with his two best friends, but he doesn't have a bike anymore after he destroyed his for a science fair project. His parents promise to buy him a new one if he's good for two whole weeks. How can mischievous Roosevelt behave himself for so long? And if he is good, will he start boring his friends and lose his spot on the trip to Eddie Spaghetti?

Roosevelt is an endearing character even when he is causing mischief, and Calkhoven creates some funny situations that the target audience of early elementary age boys will love. Having his dad be an American history professor who names his kids and pets after presidents is a nice quirk.

My son is in third grade and absolutely loved this book!
Roosevelt Banks is kid that enjoys being with his friends and having fun. He was very easy to relate to, the book was filled with jokes perfect for boys (farts/gross sounds/etc).
Roosevelt's dad plans a bike ride and camping trip, but Roosevelt doesn't have a bike of his own and will not be a part of the trip. To get a new bike, has has to be good for two whole weeks, but that means he can't get in trouble at school or home. He has to get all his chores done as well. Poor Roosevelt struggles with this as everything is going wrong for him.

Thank you to One Elm Books, Netgalley and Lauie Calkhoven for the advanced copy of Roosevelt Banks, good kid in training.
Roosevelt wants to go on a bike trip with his two friends, he doesn't have a bike after his one was broken in an experiment he did with his friends. His parents tell him they will get him a new bike if he can be good for two weeks, of course this is not as easy as it sounds!

I read this book over a few nights with my 3 girls, they are 4, 6 and 10. All three kids loved the book and I did two. We all scored the book 5 out of 5. The book appealed to all 3, and I think boys would equally love it.
We had great fun reading the book, and as a parent I liked the message in it. I would happily buy this book for friends.

This funny, heartfelt book is filled with humor, friendship, honesty, perspective, empathy and understanding. It made me laugh out loud and reminded me of the complexities of friendship especially as a young person. Caring about what others think while also taking care of each other and ourselves can be a tricky balance and this book is a great example of that. Roosevelt Banks is such a strong character, and his friends and family as well as his teachers and neighbors all play a role as he develops self-awareness and understanding of himself and others. The word choice, sentence structure, vocabulary, plot and character development are equally impressive and will inspire its young readers to enjoy writing as well. What a wonderful story!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a honest review.

My children and I LOVE this book. The illustrations are adorable. The storyline is fantastic, and it's truly a great book for kids to read with their parents. My children picked up on the moral right away.

Judge This Book By Its Cover

Cheerful kid. Lively, colorful, upbeat sort of vibe. Zipping along to a happy ending. Yeah, this cover is an excellent intro to what's inside.

Roosevelt is part of a gang of three bicycle riders - Roosevelt, Tommy, and Josh. They're going to go on a big bike hike and campout with Josh's dad, who says he can only handle three kids. But Roosevelt wrecks his bike performing a carelessly planned but sort of worthy stunt, and R's folks aren't keen to just go out and buy him another bike. While R is trying to figure out how to get a replacement bike, Eddy is lurking about trying to get himself picked as the new number three on the trip. R's folks agree to get R a new bike if R can be a "good kid" for two solid weeks.

You can see where this is going to go. The original friendship will be tested. What's the deal with Eddy? Will he try to submarine R? What choices will Josh make? Can R stay out of any sort of trouble, do his chores, and be a "good kid" for two weeks?

This is all handled exceptionally well, with lots of lessons that are delivered with a light and assured hand. All of the kids are good kids. The parents are sensible. The drama is understated. R's worries feel authentic and his friendship concerns are real and treated with respect. There's realistic banter among the kids, and a general feel of honesty to the situations. The book isn't preachy, and has lots of light and entertaining moments, but there's a point to it all, even if the points aren't hammered home.

So, I liked the characters. The book had a light touch and a fast pace. The tone was upbeat and the messages never veered into "what was that about?" territory. A nice find.

(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

Great book for kids in younger grades (up to 3rd grade). My eight year old greatly enjoyed it as evident from the occassional chuckle and guffaw coming from his reading corner. As a parent, i greatly appreciated the message - patience is indeed a virtue.