Synopses & Reviews
He would be a symbol of power, grace, and tragedy-but before he was JFK, he was sickly and scrappy, troubled and charming; he was a boy called Jack.
To Jack, it seemed as if his brother Joe, not quite two years older, would always triumph-in school, on the playing field, in his father's affections. Jack was the sloppy second son, the witty, disorganized dreamer who could never seem to stay well long enough to muster his talents-a risky failing in the success-driven Kennedy family. Young readers cannot help but be fascinated by this sympathetic portrait of a complex youth who, as he struggled with the pressures of father-son dynamics and the shadow of ill health, discovered within himself an intensity for living and a profoundly ironic humor.
Review
"The text is full of anecdotes and quotes from family members and intimates, so the book has a personal tone. . . A unique, highly readable choice for biography collections."--
School Library Journal "The quality of the research in Jack shows both in the way background history is seamlessly interwoven with biography and in the extensive source notes . . . "--Booklist
Synopsis
We all know him as our 35th president, but who was John F. Kennedy before he took political office? Ilene Cooper effortlessly takes us through the young life of one of our most influential leaders, for a reading experience youll not soon forget.
Drawing on family letters, anecdotes, recollections,and biography, Ilene Cooper has written a riveting account of John F. Kennedys early years from birth to prep school graduation, all set against the colorful background of the Kennedy family and their wildly successful pursuit of the American dream. Completely reformatted, this paperback edition is the perfect companion to adult biographies on JFK, and just right for young historians looking to discover the boy behind the man.
Synopsis
We all know him as our 35th president, but who was John F. Kennedy before he took political office? Ilene Cooper effortlessly takes us through the young life of one of our most influential leaders, for a reading experience youll not soon forget.
Drawing on family letters, anecdotes, recollections,and biography, Ilene Cooper has written a riveting account of John F. Kennedys early years from birth to prep school graduation, all set against the colorful background of the Kennedy family and their wildly successful pursuit of the American dream. Completely reformatted, this paperback edition is the perfect companion to adult biographies on JFK, and just right for young historians looking to discover the boy behind the man.
About the Author
Ilene Cooper (www.ilenecooper.com) is the award-winning author of more than thirty books for children and teenagers. She is the Senior Editor at Booklist, the review journal of the American Library Association, and lives outside Chicago, Illinois.
Table of Contents
Very, very sick little boy -- We want winners -- Better to take it in stride -- Weaving daydreams -- Real stigma -- Hyannis Port and Hollywood -- Boy who doesn't get things done -- Homesick -- Quite different from Joe -- Jack and Lem -- Inner eye -- Muckers.