Marissa and Clara’s mom is the newly elected president of the United States, and they haven’t experienced much freedom lately. While exploring the White House they discover a hidden tunnel that leads to an underground clubhouse full of antique curiosities, doors heading in all directions—and a mysterious invitation to join the ranks of White House kids. So they sign the pledge.

Suddenly, the lights go out, and Marissa and Clara find themselves at the White House in 1903. There they meet Quentin, Ethel, Archie, and Alice, the irrepressible children of President Theodore Roosevelt. To get back home, Marissa and Clara must team up with the Roosevelt kids “to help the president” and “to make a difference.”

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My Thoughts

A fun adventure mixing the present with the past. It’s an eye-opening journey especially learning about the misguided environmental practices brought forth during Roosevelt’s term. We can never be reminded enough about the importance of preserving natural resources.

Marissa and Clara are both great characters leading the way. They are persistent in their goal to save a giant California Redwood from dam developers. This comes forth while traveling on President Roosevelt’s historic cross country train trip that inspired the creation of the National Park System. The 120th anniversary is actually this year which makes for perfect timing in the release of this book.

Learning about the President’s children (and the pets they brought to the White House) will urge young readers to find out more about the lives of these White House kids. I especially enjoyed the antics of the youngest, Quentin.

White House Clubhouse will appeal to boys and girls from 4th grade on up to about 6th grade. The occasional illustration helps one visualize the story even more. This unique, clever tale wraps up all the plot points by the last page and is the beginning of a series. The possibilities for where these characters are headed next will be a worthwhile wait.

(Hurry back this coming Monday when Natalie Aguirre at Literary Rambles interviews author Sean O’Brien. You can find the link on that day’s MMGM list. It is sure to be a very insightful interview ( I base this on Natalie’s previous excellent interviews with authors.)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sean O’Brien served as director of speechwriting to Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden, special assistant to President Barack Obama, and senior advisor to the Secretary of the Navy. He performed comedy with Chicago’s Second City and Annoyance theaters as well as DC’s Capital Fringe Festival while serving as a chief of staff in the US House of Representatives. He earned a BA with Honors in American Culture from Northwestern University and an MS in National Security and Strategic Studies from the US Naval War College.  Sean teaches at Georgetown University in Washington DC, where he lives with his family. 

Please visit him online at seanobrienbooks.com

Instagram: @seanobrienbooks

Facebook: @seanobrienbooks

Twitter: @SeanOBrienBooks

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It’s almost time for another Marvelous Middle Grade Monday. Won’t you join us? It’s here I share highlights from other individuals blogging about middle grade books. Many of the posts will have reviews, interviews, and tips on writing. Take a look at PAST MMGM POSTS.

It’s easy to get a spot in the lineup. All you have to do is email me the title of the book or feature and a link to your blog at gpcolo[at]gmail[dot]com

Make sure you put MMGM or Marvelous Middle Grade Monday in the subject line so it gets sorted accurately–and don’t forget to say what you’re featuring) You MUST email me your link by Sunday evening (11 PM Eastern Time) in order to be included in the list of links for the coming Monday.

*Please note: these posts are not a reflection of my own opinions on the books featured. Each blogger is responsible for their own MMGM content and I do not pre-screen reviews ahead of time, nor do I control what books they choose. I simply assemble the list based on the links that are emailed to me.