Fourth-grader Riley O’Rourke desperately wants to learn how to play the saxophone. Unfortunately, Riley only has $5.50 to his name, and his mother cannot afford to buy – or even rent – a saxophone for him. When his teacher assigns a biography book report and Riley selects Teddy Roosevelt as his subject, Riley learns about a president who didn’t let obstacles stand in his way. With Roosevelt’s bully spirit as an inspiration, Riley begins brain-storming ways he can earn and save money to buy himself a used saxophone. But there aren’t many jobs out there for a fourth-grader…

This chapter book presents children with a protagonist who faces obstacles head-on and finds ways to meet his goals. He is surrounded by a colorful cast of characters in his schoolmates, who also learn and grow based on the inspiration found in their biography book report subjects – Gandhi, Queen Elizabeth I, and Helen Keller. The concepts of problem-solving, perseverance, and friendship are all on display in this book, along with economic concepts as the children pool their ideas and resources together to help Riley obtain his saxophone. Whether it is running a yard sale and donating the proceeds to the saxophone fund or simply lending support when confronting the music teacher with a question on instrument lessons, everyone comes through for Riley in the end to help him attain his dream.

http://econkids.rutgers.edu/older-children-and-young-adults-2007-and-earler/2109...

Fourth-grader Riley O’Rourke desperately wants to learn how to play the saxophone. Unfortunately, Riley only has $5.50 to his name, and his mother cannot afford to buy – or even rent – a saxophone for him. When his teacher assigns a biography book report and Riley selects Teddy Roosevelt as his subject, Riley learns about a president who didn’t let obstacles stand in his way. With Roosevelt’s bully spirit as an inspiration, Riley begins brain-storming ways he can earn and save money to buy himself a used saxophone. But there aren’t many jobs out there for a fourth-grader…

This chapter book presents children with a protagonist who faces obstacles head-on and finds ways to meet his goals. He is surrounded by a colorful cast of characters in his schoolmates, who also learn and grow based on the inspiration found in their biography book report subjects – Gandhi, Queen Elizabeth I, and Helen Keller. The concepts of problem-solving, perseverance, and friendship are all on display in this book, along with economic concepts as the children pool their ideas and resources together to help Riley obtain his saxophone. Whether it is running a yard sale and donating the proceeds to the saxophone fund or simply lending support when confronting the music teacher with a question on instrument lessons, everyone comes through for Riley in the end to help him attain his dream.

I reviewed this book for EconKids. Read the full review here: http://econkids.rutgers.edu/older-children-and-young-adults-2007-and-earler/2109... ( )

Riley is in fourth grade and he just can’t seem to get things together. He really wants to learn the saxophone, but his mom doesn’t have enough money to rent one so he can begin lessons. As he begins to work on his biography report on Teddy Roosevelt, Riley becomes inspired by who Teddy Roosevelt is . His entire class is learning about their historical figures, and I like how an actual assignment is incorporated into the story. Riley learns to overcome obstacles and find ways around them, and Mills does a great job adding those lessons in without making the book too didactic. Riley was embarrassed to ask for any special deal on the saxophone, but when he and his classmates go together to ask the music teacher, he finds a solution that works for all of them. This is an easy chapter book, with lots of illustrations. It is interesting and teaches about many historical figures at the same time. It was fun to read – Mills does a great job with young chapter books. ( )

Fun story of a boy who must research the former president and portray him at a tea. His passion, though, is finding a way to play the sax. ( )

Fourth grader Riley O'Rourke is given a classroom assignment to research a famous person. Riley is given Teddy Roosevelt. He is upset by this because he would rather have a jazz musician. Riley is very interested in jazz music and would like to learn how to play the sax. His mother cannot afford to buy him one, so he decides to save up his money to buy a used one. In his research about Teddy Roosevelt, he learns that hard work, determination, and perseverance can help you to achieve anything you want. Once Riley finds out that the sax he was going to buy was sold, and cost too much money anyway, he and his friends band together to talk with the music teacher to see if he can get a Sax for Riley. Using Roosevelt's spirit, Riley's determination gets him a sax and his hard work earned him his first A- on his research about Roosevelt. (Gr 1-4) ( )