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Father Abraham: Lincoln and His Sons
Abraham Lincoln was devoted to his country—and to his family. President Lincoln called America a house divided, but he struggled to keep his own home united. It would prove to be an impossible task. Sickness, loss, and family tensions overwhelmed Abraham, Mary, and their four sons. Opening up the Lincoln family album, noted Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer highlights the family's heartaches and happiness. Illustrated with archival photographs and backed by extensive primary source material, this compelling NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor Book illuminates the private lives of four generations of a prominent American family.
232 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
August 16, 2011
Despite the length, this was a fairly quick, easy read. It was also enlightening, since I only remember learning about Tad Lincoln in school and not Robert, Eddy or Willie. I learned, for instance, that my belief that Tad was the president's favorite son was probably due to the fact that he lived longer than his beloved brother Willie, and thus had more opportunities to pose for photographs with his father.
What kind of a father was Abraham Lincoln? He was frequently absent because of work. When he was home he doted on his younger sons, but not on his oldest son Robert. If this lack of affection had deleterious effects, they are not evident in Holzer's account. Robert cared for his mother and Tad after his father's murder, and ended up being the only son to survive into adulthood and have children of his own.
Plenty of photographs of the Lincolns appear throughout the book, helping to make the large pages fly by. Captions include interesting information about the circumstances surrounding each picture that I greatly appreciated.
Mary Lincoln, who I've most often heard described as Lincon's "crazy" wife, is also featured prominently throughout the book. Holzer's view is more nuanced: she liked to decorate and entertain, and the deaths of her sons and husband affected her very deeply. Well-chosen photographs show the contrast between her earlier, fashionable dresses and the plain black dresses she wore exclusively after the assassination.
A generous bibliography, extensive index and source notes are appended. Holzer is a renowned Lincoln scholar, so while I trust that he knows what he's talking about, I was disappointed that his notes refer only to the work where a quote may be published without elaborating further on it's source.
What kind of a father was Abraham Lincoln? He was frequently absent because of work. When he was home he doted on his younger sons, but not on his oldest son Robert. If this lack of affection had deleterious effects, they are not evident in Holzer's account. Robert cared for his mother and Tad after his father's murder, and ended up being the only son to survive into adulthood and have children of his own.
Plenty of photographs of the Lincolns appear throughout the book, helping to make the large pages fly by. Captions include interesting information about the circumstances surrounding each picture that I greatly appreciated.
Mary Lincoln, who I've most often heard described as Lincon's "crazy" wife, is also featured prominently throughout the book. Holzer's view is more nuanced: she liked to decorate and entertain, and the deaths of her sons and husband affected her very deeply. Well-chosen photographs show the contrast between her earlier, fashionable dresses and the plain black dresses she wore exclusively after the assassination.
A generous bibliography, extensive index and source notes are appended. Holzer is a renowned Lincoln scholar, so while I trust that he knows what he's talking about, I was disappointed that his notes refer only to the work where a quote may be published without elaborating further on it's source.
April 11, 2019
Holzer is a perfectly captured display of Abraham Lincoln, his family, and their trials as a family. Holzer airs out the Lincolns private life in a tasteful light. The story follows the four-generations of Lincolns. Father Abraham: Lincoln and His Sons invites the reader into the life of the Lincolns internal family. The reader is taken along for the ups and downs with the struggles the family faces. The book is a great look into the Lincolns real and imperfect life, that made the reader relate to this famous family. It is a step away from the professional persona of President Lincoln and greets the reader into their home. The book follows a sequence from older dates to more current events the family faced nearing the unexpected assassination of Lincoln.
This book would be great in a classroom to incorporate American history of Lincoln while keeping children entertained through the story-line of the family.
This book would be great in a classroom to incorporate American history of Lincoln while keeping children entertained through the story-line of the family.
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September 11, 2012Orbis Pictus Award
May 22, 2011
Abraham Lincoln is a source of endless fascination to Americans of all ages; more books have been written about him than any other figure in American history. This new biography for young people by Lincoln expert Harold Holzer is a worthwhile addition to the pantheon of Lincoln books, and could be enjoyed by young people and adults alike.
The outlines of Lincoln's life are well known to most of us; this volume concentrates on Lincoln's personality as a father, the lives of his four sons, and what happened to the two sons that survived him and to their descendants, a story that most people are less familiar with.
Although Lincoln was famous for his wit and love of telling jokes, his private life was as imbued with personal sadness as his presidency was full of grief and sorrow for most U.S. citizens, a huge percentage of whom lost family members during the Civil War. Holzer chooses to begin his story with the death of Abraham Lincoln II, known as Jack--Lincoln's only grandson. Like three of Lincoln's own sons, Jack died tragically at a young age, succumbing to blood poisoning at the young age of sixteen.
Holzer then turns his attention to the Lincolns who came before Jack, as the authors puts it, "the story of the clan that might have become America's royal family but instead became America's cursed family--and then disappeared altogether." We learn about Mary Todd and Abraham Lincoln's courtship, their early married life (in which they initially lived in one room in a boarding house--quite a shock for Mary Todd who came from a wealthy family). Their first son, Robert, was followed a few years later by Eddie, who was a sickly child and died shortly before his fourth birthday. Death of children was common in the 19th century; nonetheless, his parents were devastated. Lincoln cried openly, and Mary was in such despair that Abraham was forced to remind her, "Eat, Mary, for we must live." Although they never got over his loss, Mary was soon pregnant again, giving birth to Willie and then to Thomas, quickly nicknamed Tad, when his father remarked he looked like a baby frog, or tadpole.
The book is full of colorful anecdotes about the Lincoln boys and their family life, including for example, excerpts of a charming letter little Willie wrote to a friend while on a trip with his father to Chicago in 1859. We also learn about their schooling; Robert Lincoln failed his first exams to get into Harvard, and Tad had such difficulty sitting still and learning to read that today he would probably have been diagnosed with learning disabilities. The Lincolns were incredibly indulgent parents, especially for their day, when children were expected to be "seen and not heard," and it is wonderful to imagine the gangly Lincoln lying on the floor with his young sons climbing all over him, as described in this book.
While their two young sons still at home with them must have been excited to arrive at the White House to live after Lincoln's election to president, (Bob being already away at school by the time Lincoln was elected), the family's years in the White House were not destined to be happy ones. Initially Willie and Tad ran amok, getting into plenty of mischief, acquiring a menagerie of pets, interrupting cabinet meetings, drilling servants as soldiers, putting on plays in their own theatre, and hanging around the Union soldiers whose encampments surrounded the White House. Oh yes, and sometimes there were lessons with a private tutor. But their happiness was short-lived. Willie, his father's favorite and the son most like Lincoln in personality and intellect, died tragically in 1862, to the great grief of both his parents, but particularly driving his mother into a deep depression. After his brother's death, Tad was even more indulged and spoiled, but he, too, was fated to die young, just a few years after his father's assassination. Tad's death was described by Mary as the worst of the many sorrows she bore during her life.
The one son who lived into adulthood, Robert, became a cabinet minister under President Garfield, and ironically was present when Garfield, too, was shot by an assassin. Holzer paints a somewhat unsympathetic picture of Robert as a man; he is perhaps best known today for having his own mother committed to an insane asylum (she was later released). Toward the end of his mother's life, he took his daughter, Mary Todd's granddaughter, to see her, clearly trying to mend their relationship before Mary Todd's death.
The outlines of Lincoln's life are well known to most of us; this volume concentrates on Lincoln's personality as a father, the lives of his four sons, and what happened to the two sons that survived him and to their descendants, a story that most people are less familiar with.
Although Lincoln was famous for his wit and love of telling jokes, his private life was as imbued with personal sadness as his presidency was full of grief and sorrow for most U.S. citizens, a huge percentage of whom lost family members during the Civil War. Holzer chooses to begin his story with the death of Abraham Lincoln II, known as Jack--Lincoln's only grandson. Like three of Lincoln's own sons, Jack died tragically at a young age, succumbing to blood poisoning at the young age of sixteen.
Holzer then turns his attention to the Lincolns who came before Jack, as the authors puts it, "the story of the clan that might have become America's royal family but instead became America's cursed family--and then disappeared altogether." We learn about Mary Todd and Abraham Lincoln's courtship, their early married life (in which they initially lived in one room in a boarding house--quite a shock for Mary Todd who came from a wealthy family). Their first son, Robert, was followed a few years later by Eddie, who was a sickly child and died shortly before his fourth birthday. Death of children was common in the 19th century; nonetheless, his parents were devastated. Lincoln cried openly, and Mary was in such despair that Abraham was forced to remind her, "Eat, Mary, for we must live." Although they never got over his loss, Mary was soon pregnant again, giving birth to Willie and then to Thomas, quickly nicknamed Tad, when his father remarked he looked like a baby frog, or tadpole.
The book is full of colorful anecdotes about the Lincoln boys and their family life, including for example, excerpts of a charming letter little Willie wrote to a friend while on a trip with his father to Chicago in 1859. We also learn about their schooling; Robert Lincoln failed his first exams to get into Harvard, and Tad had such difficulty sitting still and learning to read that today he would probably have been diagnosed with learning disabilities. The Lincolns were incredibly indulgent parents, especially for their day, when children were expected to be "seen and not heard," and it is wonderful to imagine the gangly Lincoln lying on the floor with his young sons climbing all over him, as described in this book.
While their two young sons still at home with them must have been excited to arrive at the White House to live after Lincoln's election to president, (Bob being already away at school by the time Lincoln was elected), the family's years in the White House were not destined to be happy ones. Initially Willie and Tad ran amok, getting into plenty of mischief, acquiring a menagerie of pets, interrupting cabinet meetings, drilling servants as soldiers, putting on plays in their own theatre, and hanging around the Union soldiers whose encampments surrounded the White House. Oh yes, and sometimes there were lessons with a private tutor. But their happiness was short-lived. Willie, his father's favorite and the son most like Lincoln in personality and intellect, died tragically in 1862, to the great grief of both his parents, but particularly driving his mother into a deep depression. After his brother's death, Tad was even more indulged and spoiled, but he, too, was fated to die young, just a few years after his father's assassination. Tad's death was described by Mary as the worst of the many sorrows she bore during her life.
The one son who lived into adulthood, Robert, became a cabinet minister under President Garfield, and ironically was present when Garfield, too, was shot by an assassin. Holzer paints a somewhat unsympathetic picture of Robert as a man; he is perhaps best known today for having his own mother committed to an insane asylum (she was later released). Toward the end of his mother's life, he took his daughter, Mary Todd's granddaughter, to see her, clearly trying to mend their relationship before Mary Todd's death.
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May 1, 2015Father Abraham: Lincoln and His Sons by Harold Holzer. This book is a biography on Abraham Lincoln however, unlike most of his biographies this book goes outside the norm and focuses on his life outside his presidency. Lincoln and His Sons is a collective book that shows the family side of Abraham Lincoln and how he decided to keep his family life tied down. The book highlights many of his life struggles as a father through the stories of his family, and the most highlighted of all his sons. There is a strong focus on the stories of how he dealt with the sickness’s and loses in his family, along with the tension that built up due to the loses and his presidency itself. However, beyond Abraham Lincoln himself the book highlights more of the individual Lincoln family members as well. Being able to explore the stories of the president from different perspectives of the family members such as his four sons allowed for a new perspective to be shown. With these personal stories, and the real photographs used throughout the book it is easy for the reader to view the life of Abraham Lincoln as though you are viewing it first hand back in the day. This way of writing allows for new perspectives and outlooks on the president making this a strong and unique biography on one of the most talked about man of History. I think that this book would be a really good book to use as a way to either teach students about Abraham Lincoln for something like a project on Presidents or just focusing on Lincoln himself.
November 23, 2013
Father Abraham: Lincoln and His Sons by Harold Holzer was about the life of Abraham Lincoln, his 4 sons, and the many different experiences he goes through that impact his life and our country before and while he acted as our president. Some of the hardships the Lincoln family has to endure are the death of their second child, Eddie, just before he turned 4, their first son, Robert, failing his first exams to get into Harvard, and their youngest son, Tad, having potential learning disabilities. In this book, the author really reveals the tough times Lincoln endures and the sadness that fills him over losing his sons. On an opposite note, there are also some colorful anecdotes included in the story about some happy memories revolving around how the Lincolns were very loving, caring parents. The author also talks about the family’s time in the White House not being as happy and magical as they wished it would be. There, the two young sons ran around causing havoc and enjoying their freedom but eventually Willie, the 3rd son, dies tragically. One great aspect about this book is that even after Lincoln’s death it tells us what happens to the 2 sons that outlived him which is a story people are less familiar with.
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April 23, 2012Father Abraham, by Harold Holzer, is about the Lincoln family over the years. The family is handed several negative events, such as the death of Abraham Lincoln II, which begins the book. This is Lincoln's grandson. The book continues on to tell different occasions and stories that went hand in hand with being children of the Lincoln family.
This book could be classified as an informational book because it contains real and true material. The people in the book would be ones that children would be interested in, because of their relationship to the famous president. The family members are presented in a way that the readers can identify with them as authentic and real, since these events could happen and do happen to any people even today. The information seems to be accurate and authentic, and the writing is very engaging and provides an interesting and informational read for children without being dull or overbearing.
As a teacher, I would place this book in my classroom to compliment a unit on American history, or about Abraham Lincoln. This also could be used in lessons around Lincoln's birthday, or around President's Day.
This book could be classified as an informational book because it contains real and true material. The people in the book would be ones that children would be interested in, because of their relationship to the famous president. The family members are presented in a way that the readers can identify with them as authentic and real, since these events could happen and do happen to any people even today. The information seems to be accurate and authentic, and the writing is very engaging and provides an interesting and informational read for children without being dull or overbearing.
As a teacher, I would place this book in my classroom to compliment a unit on American history, or about Abraham Lincoln. This also could be used in lessons around Lincoln's birthday, or around President's Day.
April 23, 2012
Father Abraham was a story about the life of Abraham Lincoln, his sons and the tragedies his life entailed. This story is mainly about the impact Abraham has had on our country and the different experiences he went through during his life.
I think this would be a good book for children. Children know who the president Abraham Lincoln is, but this story will give them more information about his personal life and him as a person not just a president. The author provides factual information for the reader. There are real incidents of Lincoln’s life in the book such as the death of his son. Students can relate to losing someone close to them. This is just one of the hardships the book talks about during Abraham’s life. the book provides facts I never read before reading this.
I thought this book was interesting. it would be good for kids to learn more about Abraham has a [person and see inside his life and events in his life. I would definitely use this book in my classroom. It has great facts and is very educational. I liked this book a lot and I think students would like it as well.
March 11, 2012
All things Abe has always held a special place of fascination with me, so when I saw Holzer's book on the "new addition" table in our middle school library, I grabbed it.
This comprehensive biography of a complex man kept my attention from page one until the end. The photographs, some of which were not made public during his lifetime and thus have not been as publicized in general, were fascinating.
A president's life is never his own while in office. This was particularly true for Lincoln during the tumultuous years in which he presided. His family was held together by the undependable Mary Lincoln. I appreciated the fact that her instability and reputed decline into madness in her later years was not a focus toward the end of the book. Interesting to me, too, was the almost glowing report of the eldest son, Robert.
Holzer is obviously an expert when it comes to the Lincolns. This would make a wonderful addition to any library.
Highly recommended.
This comprehensive biography of a complex man kept my attention from page one until the end. The photographs, some of which were not made public during his lifetime and thus have not been as publicized in general, were fascinating.
A president's life is never his own while in office. This was particularly true for Lincoln during the tumultuous years in which he presided. His family was held together by the undependable Mary Lincoln. I appreciated the fact that her instability and reputed decline into madness in her later years was not a focus toward the end of the book. Interesting to me, too, was the almost glowing report of the eldest son, Robert.
Holzer is obviously an expert when it comes to the Lincolns. This would make a wonderful addition to any library.
Highly recommended.
December 9, 2012
The life of Abraham Lincoln and his family are richly detailed in this candid and well-researched biography. From his early life through the Civil War years to his death, this book chronicles the very human side of not only Abraham Lincoln, but his wife and children as well. Bringing history richly to life, the characters fairly jump off the page of this book. The love Lincoln feels for his children and the grief he feels at their deaths is made real and poignant through the use of quotes, anecdotes and pictures, as well as a brilliantly crafted story. For those hoping to learn more about Abraham Lincoln as a man while still gleaning information about his presidency and the time period in which he lived, this book is a gem. Abraham Lincoln had a difficult life, his family did as well, and this book gives one the opportunity to see their lives through new eyes.
December 2, 2013
The book “Father Abraham: Lincoln and His Sons” is a good book about Abraham Lincoln and his family. It tells the sad tales, with loss, heartbreak, and sickness. The story at times can be very sad. It was very difficult to keep his home together, he tried very hard but he was unable to do so. Abraham and his wife, Mary struggled with these difficulties daily, they had four sons and it was a difficult life. Lincoln had a scholar who helped write down the families’ good times and bad, this scholars name is Harold Holzer. This book did not win the Orbis Pictus reward but was honored in 2012. This story just takes us through the four generations of the Lincoln family. I think that this is a good book to introduce in the classroom; especially a history classroom so that the students can learn all about Abraham and his family.
June 11, 2011
This book is rich in detail and very interesting for people who have a genuine interest in Abraham Lincoln. I am reviewing it for my book review group, which is concerned with books for young adults. I must say that I think this book would be a hard sell for middle-school students, because I am not sure they would have the level of interest in Lincoln to sustain their completion of the book. You get to know all about his marriage to Mary Todd, all about their separate relationships with each child, all about his political life as it affected his family life year by year. As stated already, it is a great read for anyone who is already interested in Lincoln the man. It might be better suited to college-age students or even adults, although the reading level is not at all difficult.
October 9, 2012
This title is well-reviewed and an Orbis Pictus Honor winner. But I had a hard time with it, which may just be a reflection on me but ... I liked the organizational concept of examining the generations and expanding our view of Lincoln through his children. However, I felt like statements were made but not substantiated. Perhaps the author had the background primary sources to make those statements, but I felt numerous times like saying, 'how can you say that" or "how do you know that." I am not super knowledgeable about Lincoln, and I can tend to be a skeptic ... it would perhaps be a great exercise for students in a common core sense to examine this author's perspective and see if they could figure out upon what certain elements were based.
June 21, 2012
Audience: Intermediate grades. Students that enjoy finding out factual and interesting information about historical figures or prominent individuals in American history.
Appeal: This book is chalked full of interesting and factual tidbits, many of which, I did not know. This book is also full of useful pictures that help move the book along. My only appointment was to find no information about his days as a vampire hunter. (I am hoping to gain extra points in class for humor with that last part).
Award: Children 2012 Honor Book--NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction
Appeal: This book is chalked full of interesting and factual tidbits, many of which, I did not know. This book is also full of useful pictures that help move the book along. My only appointment was to find no information about his days as a vampire hunter. (I am hoping to gain extra points in class for humor with that last part).
Award: Children 2012 Honor Book--NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction
August 8, 2011
An excellent inside look into the chaotic Lincoln family environment with parents who basically allowed their boys freedom to get into whatever kind of mischief they desired. Lincoln was totally laid back about it, even when they trashed his office! Focusing on the boys makes this a book younger readers can relate to as they will smile over the sons' antics. For adults, an introduction to the Lincoln family with extensive notes to dig further if so desired.
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June 21, 2012Audience: Intermediate grades. Kids who enjoy finding out interesting information on historical figures
Appeal: This book had a lot of interesting facts that I didn't even know. Many kids really enjoy knowing quirky little facts that are fun and interesting to know. It also had many pictures to help them put a face to names and really get a feel for what it was like during those times
Award: NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children 2012 Honor Book
Appeal: This book had a lot of interesting facts that I didn't even know. Many kids really enjoy knowing quirky little facts that are fun and interesting to know. It also had many pictures to help them put a face to names and really get a feel for what it was like during those times
Award: NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children 2012 Honor Book
November 25, 2015
This was a good quick read of the family of Abraham Lincoln. If you are familiar with his life then you know that he had more than his share of tragedy - out of 4 sons only 1 lived to adulthood. The last descendant, a great-grandson died in 1985. Fascinating pictures also.
January 27, 2012
Good book, lots of information. I love reading about the Lincoln's, even when I was a kid. I remember I had a ghost book and one of the chapters was about the Lincoln's in the white house. Their family suffered from so many tragic deaths.
April 4, 2012
Excellent biography of the Lincolns, and follows through with a summary of what happened to Lincoln's direct descendants, who died out in the early 20th century. Lots of photos and good writing.
April 24, 2012
Orbis Pictus
SUMMARY: Father Abraham by Harold Holzer is about the Lincoln family, and how they dealt with family crises. The book begins with the death of Abraham Lincoln II, Lincoln's grandson. The book then goes on to tell the story of how Lincoln and his wife raised their children and the many different stories that went along with being the children of the Lincoln family.
CRITIQUE: The book is extremely accurate in conveying factual material. The author uses quotes, pictures, and real documents to tell the story. The information is extremely organized because, after the first section, the information is written in chronological order. The format is incredibly appealing because the pictures help to tell the story, while the information is written in a way that children will understand. The writing style that Holzer uses is clear, and you can tell that he is enthusiastic about the information that he is conveying.
RESPONSE: I found this book to be very interesting. History is not one of my favorite subjects to read, but the Civil War is one of my favorite time periods to learn about. Having an entire story dedicated to Abraham Lincoln's family helps to bring him to life more than any of the other material I have read on him. I would use this book in my classroom in order to show my students that Abraham Lincoln was more than just the 16th president of the United States; he was a family man that helped to see his family through many hardships.
SUMMARY: Father Abraham by Harold Holzer is about the Lincoln family, and how they dealt with family crises. The book begins with the death of Abraham Lincoln II, Lincoln's grandson. The book then goes on to tell the story of how Lincoln and his wife raised their children and the many different stories that went along with being the children of the Lincoln family.
CRITIQUE: The book is extremely accurate in conveying factual material. The author uses quotes, pictures, and real documents to tell the story. The information is extremely organized because, after the first section, the information is written in chronological order. The format is incredibly appealing because the pictures help to tell the story, while the information is written in a way that children will understand. The writing style that Holzer uses is clear, and you can tell that he is enthusiastic about the information that he is conveying.
RESPONSE: I found this book to be very interesting. History is not one of my favorite subjects to read, but the Civil War is one of my favorite time periods to learn about. Having an entire story dedicated to Abraham Lincoln's family helps to bring him to life more than any of the other material I have read on him. I would use this book in my classroom in order to show my students that Abraham Lincoln was more than just the 16th president of the United States; he was a family man that helped to see his family through many hardships.
June 23, 2011
This book didn't grab me the way I thought it might from the professional reviews. I think partly because Robert comes off very unsatisfactorily in this book. I don't mean as an unpleasant personality, although he seemed to have been quite unpopular, but as a mysterious figure who didn't get explained sufficiently. Why was Lincoln's treatment of the oldest son so different from the way the younger 3 were treated? Was it Robert's personality even as a teenager and young man? Or was it the expectations parents often have for the oldest child? Certainly his treatment of Mary seems unkind and unjustified since Mary was able to eventually win release from the asylum. I doubt Mary was easy to be around since she does seems to have been pretty self absorbed and absorbed with past deaths. On the other hand, the book does not note that it was not all that unusual for survivors to mourn for long periods of time back then. Lincoln's death completely changed her life and it doesn't sound as though her Todd relatives were particularly helpful. More study of Tad might have helped too. Was he unable to read, or indulged in not reading? Could he count? It certainly sounds as though Willie was a reader. Good book but didn't satisfy.
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April 10, 2014This is another biography on Abraham Lincoln. The difference about this book is that its focus is on Lincoln as a Father. It follows his family life as he is raising his kids, including his time in the White House. The book also follows the lives of his two kids that survived him. It tells the story of what happened to them as well as many of their descendants. It is an interesting take on the life of Lincoln in a world full of Lincoln biographies.
Father Abraham: Lincoln and His Sons is a great choice for the Orbis Pictus award because it also does a great job of presenting the story of Abraham Lincoln in a way that younger children would appreciate. Since the focus is on the relationship between Lincoln and his children the younger audience is able to relate more easily. This is also a very historical book that includes many of the major events of the time including the civil war, emancipation and Lincoln’s Assassination. This book exemplifies nonfiction writing for children. This book could be used by a teacher trying to blend a lesson about family ties and American History. There are also plenty of photos in this book that can help the children get a very good visual on what family life was like a long time ago.
Father Abraham: Lincoln and His Sons is a great choice for the Orbis Pictus award because it also does a great job of presenting the story of Abraham Lincoln in a way that younger children would appreciate. Since the focus is on the relationship between Lincoln and his children the younger audience is able to relate more easily. This is also a very historical book that includes many of the major events of the time including the civil war, emancipation and Lincoln’s Assassination. This book exemplifies nonfiction writing for children. This book could be used by a teacher trying to blend a lesson about family ties and American History. There are also plenty of photos in this book that can help the children get a very good visual on what family life was like a long time ago.
March 3, 2017
Interesting perspective but extremely repetitive and speculative
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews