Abe Lincoln's Dream

From Barnes & Noble

For one little girl, what begins as a student tour of the White House takes a very touching turn when she encounters the ghost of Abraham Lincoln. Fortunately, the Great Emancipator is not a haunting sort; he just wants to know more about the nation he tried so hard to serve. In the hands of author/illustrator Lane Smith, Abe Lincoln's Dream becomes perhaps the most sweet, endearing, totally nonpartisan release of the 2012 presidential season. Editor's recommendation.

Publishers Weekly

The device of a conversation between a schoolgirl and Lincoln’s ghost could have been a clumsy gimmick, but Smith (Grandpa Green) executes it with casual grace. Riffing on a piece of trivia—that White House dogs often barked inexplicably outside the Lincoln bedroom—Smith imagines Quincy straying from her White House tour and stumbling upon a familiar-looking figure in a stovepipe hat. When the melancholy gentleman confesses his anxiety about the aftermath of his presidency (“Are the states united?... Did that work out?”), she hastens to reassure him. “Yes, that worked out fine,” she smiles. “And equality for all?” he presses. “That’s working out, too,” she says. “It’s getting better all the time.” They tour the country (“the ghost did the flying”) and finish on the moon, whose American flag prompts Lincoln’s first expression of pleasure: “Three cheers and ballyhoo!” Smith’s engraving-like illustrations are in quiet shades of dollar-bill green, but there’s plenty of visual excitement in the circus-poster typography. Quincy’s unexpectedly moving encounter presents American history not as a series of dry and inevitable events, but as Lincoln’s dream fulfilled. Ages 5–9. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Oct.)

From the Publisher

“Lovely.”---Booklist

"...bold and spectacular.”--Horn Book, starred

"An adroit blend of humor, compassion and quiet optimism reflects the statesman’s character and make this a first choice for February or anytime.”--Kirkus

Starred Review, School Library Journal, December 2012 issue:

"A picture book that transforms the 16th president from a seemingly austere, severe figure into a sympathetic character. . . Smith adds a sense of whimsy through his creative use of fonts and the witty tone of the narrative." -- School Library Journal, starred review

Children's Literature - Sharon Salluzzo

When Quincy wanders from her tour in the White House, she meets the ghost of Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln tells her about a dream he had. She decides it is time for him to leave the Executive Mansion (now called the White House) and see for himself what has become of the United States of America. From the opening pages showing several presidential dogs' reactions to the Lincoln bedroom, to illustrations of kids in stovepipe hats, an exaggeratedly lanky Lincoln, and a trip across America and to the moon, Smith grabs the reader. Toss in some corny jokes and inspirational ideas, and you have a book that will intrigue the reader even after multiple readings. The typefaces used for the text are reminiscent of nineteenth century newspapers, posters, and handbills. The muted palette illustrations, in pen-and-ink, oil, and digital, have occasional pops of color. Although the widest audience will be elementary school children, high school American History teachers who share this with their students will find many points for discussion. Who will be able to resist quoting Lincoln's line: "Three cheers and ballyhoo!" Lincoln's dream of a sailing ship also brings to mind Walt Whitman's poem, "O Captain! My Captain." Recommended reading for everyone. While humorous and upbeat, this ghost story has substance. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo

School Library Journal

Gr 2–5—A picture book that transforms the 16th president from a seemingly austere, severe figure into a sympathetic character. A young African American girl named Quincy encounters the ghost of Abe Lincoln on a school tour of the White House. He tells the child about a recurring dream in which he is sailing a ship on a stormy sea, unsure of where he's heading. (The afterword explains that the president reported having this nightmare several times, including the evening before his assassination.) In an attempt to cheer him, Quincy reassures Lincoln that the state of the nation has vastly improved since his presidency, and the two take flight on a whirlwind tour. Dynamic spreads of the Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore, and an American flag planted on the Moon-digitally rendered in oil painting and pen-and-ink-reflect Quincy's assertion that "'overall the founding fathers would be proud of our progress.'" The dark palette and parchmentlike background give the book a traditional feel, but Smith adds a sense of whimsy through his creative use of fonts and the witty tone of the narrative. Despite the cartoonish style, Lincoln is fully humanized: visible pen marks that indicate wrinkles and bags under his eyes suggest his anguish over the state of the union, while his penchant for corny jokes ("'Ghosts are no good at telling fibs….You can see right through them'") will endear him to readers. Pair this picture book with Maira Kalman's Looking at Lincoln (Penguin, 2012) to give students a portrait of the man that transcends mere facts.—Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal

Kirkus Reviews

Smith transcends clichés to present a fresh and intimate glimpse of the 16th president. Opening panels, rendered digitally and in oil and ink, hone in on three presidential pooches that wouldn't "enter THAT room" in the White House. By the time present-day Quincy goes AWOL from her tour to discover a pale man in a stovepipe hat who walks through walls, there have been enough subsequent clues that readers will understand the dogs' hesitation. The sensitive African-American protagonist perceives that Lincoln is haunted by unfinished business. While sharing groan-inducing jokes and flying over monuments, farms and the moon, the two discuss American progress. Quincy offers encouraging words on the union of the states and equality, but about fighting, she observes, "We're still working on that one." They share recurring dreams; Lincoln's is about a "ship sailing rapidly for some shore I know not where." A brief (although undocumented) afterword says this is so. The palette is appropriately somber, but touches like the striking red roses that fill the foreground of the moonlit mansion's garden mitigate the darkness. Types of varying sizes and weights mimic those found in period newspapers and political posters. The final spread features Quincy's dream: fireworks flaring, a smiling president sails into the light. An adroit blend of humor, compassion and quiet optimism reflects the statesman's character and make this a first choice for February or anytime. (Picture book. 5-8)