WHITE HOUSE CLUBHOUSE

Marissa and Clara Suarez, whose mom is president, find themselves involved in another time-travel adventure, in which they experience Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Washington, D.C.

In the secret White House Clubhouse used by generations of child residents, the sisters meet Curtis “Buzz” Dall, the 5-year-old grandson of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. He begs them to help him find a missing “boid” (bird) statue. Buzz speaks like a pint-sized gangster, a quirky detail that brings humor to this fact-filled story. As in the two earlier series entries, significant events in history come to life through the girls’ empathetic eyes. In this one, Marissa and Clara witness the desperation of the Great Depression and the birth of the New Deal. While chasing down the bird statue (in itself a delightful, slapstick comedy caper) they meet notable figures, including Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, Amelia Earhart, Lorena “Hick” Hickok (reporter and close companion of the First Lady), and Alice Roosevelt, who are refreshingly and appealingly humanized as real people. The girls’ modern speech and witty observations add irreverence to the story, but beneath all the fun is an important message that Marissa articulates: “I think anytime you have an opportunity to make a difference you have a responsibility to do it.” Lee’s black-and-white illustrations add zest and convey a sense of the time period. Marissa and Clara are cued Latine, Bethune is Black, and other main characters read white.

Entertaining, engaging, and empowering.