Overview
Abraham Lincoln grew up poor and without schooling in a Kentucky wilderness and lost his mother before he was ten. It was sparkplug Sally Bush Johnston who married his father, brought a library of books to their log cabin home, and believed in Abe from the beginning. She was an inspiring turning point for young Abe, who went on to become America's sixteenth and most popular and respected president.
A spirited introduction to the great American for young readers and a glimpse of how any human can rise to surprising heights.
Synopsis
Abraham Lincoln grew up poor and without schooling in a Kentucky wilderness and lost his mother before he was ten. It was sparkplug Sally Bush Johnston who married his father, brought a library of books to their log cabin home, and believed in Abe from the beginning. She was an inspiring turning point for young Abe, who went on to become America's sixteenth and most popular and respected president.
A spirited introduction to the great American for young readers and a glimpse of how any human can rise to surprising heights.
School Library Journal
Gr 1-4 This account of Lincoln's childhood is written in fast-paced, short sentences. St. George, author of So You Want to Be President? (Philomel, 2000), uses a folksy, conversational style and incorporates old-fashioned words such as "ignoramus" and "dunderheads" to add to the period feel. She chose incidents from Lincoln's life that will help children understand the man he became, demonstrating an early awareness of the feelings of others and a desire for fairness. She also emphasizes how family members, including his mother and stepmother, helped Lincoln to achieve his potential. Faulkner's humorous illustrations are a perfect match for the text. Children accustomed to typically staid photographs of Lincoln will laugh out loud seeing him depicted as a squalling baby and a young boy riding a pet pig. The expressive images are done in a caricature style, with slightly exaggerated hands, feet, and heads. Large and colorful, the visuals sprawl across the spreads as if the action cannot be easily contained. Although the narrative covers only Lincoln's younger years, his adult professional life is summarized in an endnote.-Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA
Editorials
School Library Journal
Gr 1-4 This account of Lincoln's childhood is written in fast-paced, short sentences. St. George, author of So You Want to Be President? (Philomel, 2000), uses a folksy, conversational style and incorporates old-fashioned words such as "ignoramus" and "dunderheads" to add to the period feel. She chose incidents from Lincoln's life that will help children understand the man he became, demonstrating an early awareness of the feelings of others and a desire for fairness. She also emphasizes how family members, including his mother and stepmother, helped Lincoln to achieve his potential. Faulkner's humorous illustrations are a perfect match for the text. Children accustomed to typically staid photographs of Lincoln will laugh out loud seeing him depicted as a squalling baby and a young boy riding a pet pig. The expressive images are done in a caricature style, with slightly exaggerated hands, feet, and heads. Large and colorful, the visuals sprawl across the spreads as if the action cannot be easily contained. Although the narrative covers only Lincoln's younger years, his adult professional life is summarized in an endnote.-Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA