Master of His Fate by James Tobin is an inspiring middle-grade
biography of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, with a focus on his battle with
polio and how his disease set him on the course to become president.
In 1921, FDR contracted polio. Just as he began to set his sights on the
New York governorship--and, with great hope, the presidency--FDR became
paralyzed from the waist down. FDR faced a radical choice: give up
politics or reenter the arena with a disability, something never seen
before. With the help of Eleanor and close friends, Roosevelt made
valiant strides toward rehabilitation and became even more focused on
becoming president, proving that misfortune sometimes turns out to be a
portal to unexpected opportunities and rewards--even to greatness.
This groundbreaking political biography richly weaves together medicine,
disability narratives, and presidential history.
Christy Ottaviano Books