Summary:
The book provides a captivating look at the life of Abraham Lincoln. Beginning at his birth and following the journey of his life until his assassination at the hands of John Wilkes Booth, this book augments the words with vivid pictures from his life. We are introduced to Lincoln's life with his birth on February 12, 1809 in Hardin County, Kentucky. We learn about his humble boyhood roots and his early interest in politics. The book informs us of his marriage to Marry Todd on November 4, 1842, their subsequent children, his successful law practice, and his continued pursuit of government positions. The book guides us through his tenure as president and the continued burden he faced in attempting to win the Civil War. Finally, we are presented with the joy of the war ending turned quickly to weeping at the death of the president at the age of 56 on April 15, 1865.
My Evaluation:
I have been intending to read this book for some time, as I was curious to see why this non-fiction book captivated the Newbery committee considering the fact that fiction novels are their usual choice. It was well worth the read, and the reason for their choice became clear to me. The writing is excellent: clear, factual, and captivating. It is a talented writer who can make history a treat for children. Furthermore, the author challenged some of the concepts that are often spouted by Lincoln historians - including Lincoln's motivation for entering the war. The author presented that the reason Lincoln entered the war was not because of slavery - that only came later. It is important for children to learn to not assume that everything they read or hear is correct, and that they should do their own exploration of a topic rather than just swallow the first thing they hear. Also, the photographs in this book were phenomenal. They added considerably to the impact of the words, and gave the book a richness that would not have been achieved otherwise. It made Abraham Lincoln a real person rather than just a dusty, historical figure. The picture progression that illustrated how much he aged in the presidency was especially striking for me.
Reviews:
Aronson, M. (2006). Originality in nonfiction. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/printissuecurrentissue/864175-427/originality_in_nonfiction.html.csp
Recently, there has been an explosion of innovation in fiction and picture books—from the proliferation of novels in verse or in multiple voices to the triumphant rise of the graphic novel. But what makes for originality in nonfiction for young people? I think about this a lot. While experiments in other brands of writing are easy to recognize, there are particular reasons why equally fresh and creative work in nonfiction can escape notice. And yet, the essence of the best nonfiction is originality...There are two morals to this story. One: originality can come as much in organization and presentation as in spadework. Two: a good index of originality in books for young people is attentiveness and creativity. In what ways has the author re-conceptualized information available to adults in order to reach younger readers? The very best example of this is the most famous, Russell Freedman's Lincoln: A Photobiography (Clarion, 1987). Freedman married very sophisticated academic ideas about Lincoln's presentation of himself, his unknowability, with photos, which even a nonreader can examine.
Plot Summary of Lincoln: A Photobiography. (n.d.). Allreaders.com. Retrieved from http://www.allreaders.com/Topics/info_30653.asp
Freedman's biography of Abraham Lincoln transcends the typical juvenile biography by incorporating features typically associated with adult biography. He quotes from primary sources and portrays Lincoln in a fair and balanced approach, discussing Lincoln's faults as well as his contributions. He begins by contrasting legends about Lincoln with the facts themselves. Especially helpful are the sections at the end of the book that include excerpts from Lincoln's speeches, a list of historical sites associated with Lincoln, and a list of books about Lincoln. Freedman writes in a straight forward style and includes well known and lesser known photographs, drawings, and cartoons to illustrate the detailed text. This innovative biography won the 1988 Newberry Book Award.
My Suggestions for Use in a Library Setting:
This book would be well suited for use in a short presentation/discussion for students in a school library. I would use the book to present to students the idea of thinking for themselves. With the overwhelming amount of advertising and information that children are exposed to everyday, I feel that this is a useful skill for them to possess. This book challenges ideas that have been presented by others about Lincoln, and attempts to present him in a truthful light - flattering or not.
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