Looking at Lincoln

When I visit schools to share books with classes of kids, I often ask how many of them enjoy historical fiction. It is the brave and rare hand that shoots up as a yes. But, here’s a book that brings history to children and connects them to the people, in this case particularly Abraham Lincoln, who made history and with the ideas and problems they were working with in their time. In this story a young girl passes a man on the street who makes her think about Abraham Lincoln. She wonders just who he was and what he did. Visiting the library, she learns about Lincoln growing up, Lincoln being kicked in the head by a mule, Lincoln deciding to become a lawyer and deciding to run for public office. But we move beyond the usual facts to wonder if he ate his favorite vanilla cake on his inauguration day and if he had a nickname for his wife? The story introduces us to the person not just the myth and gives us some images and ideas about him that make him seem like a friend and a real man. There’s a great voice here writing with great insight into what a child might wonder about a great man and when those questions get answered, then we’re ready and open to moving to what this man did with his life and what kind of a grown-up he turned out to be. The illustrations have an informality about them as well which make them the perfect complements for the personable tone of the narrator. Loved it. Ages 7-11