It's 1901 and Theodore Roosevelt has just become the 26th president of the United States. He arrives in Washington, DC, with his wife, 6 children, and no less than 43 family pets: dogs, cats, horses, pigs, bears, badgers and many others. None, however, are a match for an infestation of rats in the White House kitchens.

As the rats multiply, the Roosevelt children attempt to bring the problem to their father's attention, but "TR" is too busy making history-meeting with Booker T. Washington, building the Panama Canal, mediating coal strikes, inspiring the Teddy Bear, and designing national parks.

The Roosevelt children love their new home, but hate the rats. Only when TR wins re-election does he come up with a solution to the vermin problem, in the form of a 44th pet.

Meticulously researched and accompanied by charming, period illustrations, Rats in the White House will delight both animal lovers and history lovers.