What do you think?
Rate this book
Time Twisters #1
Abraham Lincoln, Pro Wrestler
WARNING: DO NOT BELIEVE THE STORY YOU’RE ABOUT TO READ.
Well, you can believe some of it. There is some real history. But also hijinks. Time travel. And famous figures setting off on adventures that definitely never happened—till now. Time is getting twisted, and it’s up to two kids to straighten things out.
When Abraham Lincoln overhears a classroom of kids say “history is boring,” he decides to teach them a lesson. Lincoln escapes from 1860—to pursue his dream of becoming a professional wrestler! Now siblings Doc and Abby have to convince Lincoln to go back to Springfield, Illinois, and accept the presidency . . . before everything spins out of control!
Well, you can believe some of it. There is some real history. But also hijinks. Time travel. And famous figures setting off on adventures that definitely never happened—till now. Time is getting twisted, and it’s up to two kids to straighten things out.
When Abraham Lincoln overhears a classroom of kids say “history is boring,” he decides to teach them a lesson. Lincoln escapes from 1860—to pursue his dream of becoming a professional wrestler! Now siblings Doc and Abby have to convince Lincoln to go back to Springfield, Illinois, and accept the presidency . . . before everything spins out of control!
160 pages, Hardcover
First published January 9, 2018
33 people are currently reading
499 people want to read
About the author
Steve Sheinkin
45 books696 followersFrom: http://stevesheinkin.com/about/
I was born in Brooklyn, NY, and my family lived in Mississippi and Colorado before moving back to New York and settling in the suburbs north of New York City. As a kid my favorite books were action stories and outdoor adventures: sea stories, searches for buried treasure, sharks eating people… that kind of thing. Probably my all-time favorite was a book called Mutiny on the Bounty, a novel based on the true story of a famous mutiny aboard a British ship in the late 1700s.
I went to Syracuse University and studied communications and international relations. The highlight of those years was a summer I spent in Central America, where I worked on a documentary on the streets of Nicaragua.
After college I moved to Washington, D.C., and worked for an environmental group called the National Audubon Society. Then, when my brother Ari graduated from college a few years later, we decided to move to Austin, Texas, and make movies together. We lived like paupers in a house with a hole in the floor where bugs crawled in. We wrote some screenplays, and in 1995 made our own feature film, a comedy called A More Perfect Union (filing pictured below), about four young guys who decide to secede from the Union and declare their rented house to be an independent nation. We were sure it was going to be a huge hit; actually we ended up deep in debt.
After that I moved to Brooklyn and decided to find some way to make a living as a writer. I wrote short stories, screenplays, and worked on a comic called The Adventures of Rabbi Harvey. In 2006, after literally hundreds of rejections, my first Rabbi Harvey graphic novel was finally published.
Meanwhile, I started working for an educational publishing company, just for the money. We’d hire people to write history textbooks, and they’d send in their writing, and it was my job to check facts and make little edits to clarify the text. Once in a while I was given the chance to write little pieces of textbooks, like one-page biographies or skills lessons. “Understanding Bar Graphs” was one of my early works. The editors noticed that my writing was pretty good. They started giving me less editing to do, and more writing. Gradually, I began writing chapters for textbooks, and that turned into my full-time job. All the while, I kept working on my own writing projects.
In 2008 I wrote my last textbook. I walked away, and shall never return. My first non-textbook history book was King George: What Was His Problem? – full of all the stories about the American Revolution that I was never allowed to put into textbooks. But looking back, I actually feel pretty lucky to have spent all those years writing textbooks. It forced me to write every day, which is great practice. And I collected hundreds of stories that I can’t wait to tell.
These days, I live with my wife, Rachel, and our two young kids in Saratoga Springs, New York. We’re right down the road from the Saratoga National Historical Park, the site of Benedict Arnold’s greatest – and last – victory in an American uniform. But that’s not why I moved here. Honestly.
I was born in Brooklyn, NY, and my family lived in Mississippi and Colorado before moving back to New York and settling in the suburbs north of New York City. As a kid my favorite books were action stories and outdoor adventures: sea stories, searches for buried treasure, sharks eating people… that kind of thing. Probably my all-time favorite was a book called Mutiny on the Bounty, a novel based on the true story of a famous mutiny aboard a British ship in the late 1700s.
I went to Syracuse University and studied communications and international relations. The highlight of those years was a summer I spent in Central America, where I worked on a documentary on the streets of Nicaragua.
After college I moved to Washington, D.C., and worked for an environmental group called the National Audubon Society. Then, when my brother Ari graduated from college a few years later, we decided to move to Austin, Texas, and make movies together. We lived like paupers in a house with a hole in the floor where bugs crawled in. We wrote some screenplays, and in 1995 made our own feature film, a comedy called A More Perfect Union (filing pictured below), about four young guys who decide to secede from the Union and declare their rented house to be an independent nation. We were sure it was going to be a huge hit; actually we ended up deep in debt.
After that I moved to Brooklyn and decided to find some way to make a living as a writer. I wrote short stories, screenplays, and worked on a comic called The Adventures of Rabbi Harvey. In 2006, after literally hundreds of rejections, my first Rabbi Harvey graphic novel was finally published.
Meanwhile, I started working for an educational publishing company, just for the money. We’d hire people to write history textbooks, and they’d send in their writing, and it was my job to check facts and make little edits to clarify the text. Once in a while I was given the chance to write little pieces of textbooks, like one-page biographies or skills lessons. “Understanding Bar Graphs” was one of my early works. The editors noticed that my writing was pretty good. They started giving me less editing to do, and more writing. Gradually, I began writing chapters for textbooks, and that turned into my full-time job. All the while, I kept working on my own writing projects.
In 2008 I wrote my last textbook. I walked away, and shall never return. My first non-textbook history book was King George: What Was His Problem? – full of all the stories about the American Revolution that I was never allowed to put into textbooks. But looking back, I actually feel pretty lucky to have spent all those years writing textbooks. It forced me to write every day, which is great practice. And I collected hundreds of stories that I can’t wait to tell.
These days, I live with my wife, Rachel, and our two young kids in Saratoga Springs, New York. We’re right down the road from the Saratoga National Historical Park, the site of Benedict Arnold’s greatest – and last – victory in an American uniform. But that’s not why I moved here. Honestly.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
January 18, 2018
What a cute premise for a book! It is a pleasure to have a book that introduces such a pivotal historical figure in such a fun and relatable way. I truly enjoyed reading this with my son. Steve Sheinkin manages to combine elements of fact and fiction to explain Lincoln's contribution to history.
Remember: History is fun!
Two facts that I have to share....
1). Abraham Lincoln is to only US President to be enshrined at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
2). William de Fleurville, a Hatitan immigrant, served as Lincoln's barber for over 20 years. He was the one responsible for the design and maintenance of Abe's distinctive beard. 🤯😆
May 6, 2018
Having recently finished George Saunders’s inspiring and powerfully complex Lincoln on the Bardo and a re-read of the anguished graphic novel about the young Lincoln and his depression, The Hypo, I saw Abraham Lincoln: Pro Wrestler in a pile of kid books from the library, and knew it would add for me new and deeper understandings of Lincoln’s legacy. You know, in the manner of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. [kidding!]
Don’t you just love history?! We learn here that Abe was like totally into sports, has “pythons” for biceps, does perfect squat thrusts to develop leg strength, and gets into professional wrestling. With an irreverent title like this, you can tell lots of kids will get into it.
Sheinkin is being silly, of course, but he has a deeper intention, to actually make you take history more seriously. The last chapter makes it clear that Lincoln was a Real Guy, that his history matters to the world, and that Lincoln is not just some cardboard meme voice saying “Four score and seven years ago. . .” in a book but a real and complex human being.
And then, jokester Sheinkin reminds us that Lincoln was actually also a bit of a jokester himself. Sheinkin actually includes some of Lincoln’s recorded jokes in the book. And Sheinkin tells us, he actually did play handball, so WAS actually a bit into sports.
And tells us Lincoln is in The National Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame? Wait a minute . . . let me google that. . .
Don’t you just love history?! We learn here that Abe was like totally into sports, has “pythons” for biceps, does perfect squat thrusts to develop leg strength, and gets into professional wrestling. With an irreverent title like this, you can tell lots of kids will get into it.
Sheinkin is being silly, of course, but he has a deeper intention, to actually make you take history more seriously. The last chapter makes it clear that Lincoln was a Real Guy, that his history matters to the world, and that Lincoln is not just some cardboard meme voice saying “Four score and seven years ago. . .” in a book but a real and complex human being.
And then, jokester Sheinkin reminds us that Lincoln was actually also a bit of a jokester himself. Sheinkin actually includes some of Lincoln’s recorded jokes in the book. And Sheinkin tells us, he actually did play handball, so WAS actually a bit into sports.
And tells us Lincoln is in The National Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame? Wait a minute . . . let me google that. . .
March 10, 2018
Not sure what exactly I was looking for, but this was more educational than I was expecting and not as funny as I hoped.
October 12, 2018
Sheinkin’s new series takes a great approach to getting kids interested in history. The text is straightforward, with a lot of dialog and action to move the story forward. More importantly, humor is used throughout the narrative and the cartoon illustrations to engage the reader. Interspersed are mini history lessons shared by the characters that introduce readers to important facts about the Civil War and Lincoln’s life. The cover alone should be enough to grab readers, where Lincoln is featured as a pro wrestler, and he does in fact wrestle at the end of the book. The conclusion gives the reader the understanding that more historical characters will follow suit with new careers in this series. The back matter gives more information about Lincoln, sorting out the facts from this fictionalized tale in a conversational manner. Children in grades 3-5 will want to read more volumes of this funny series that gives small doses of history in the midst of entertainment.
Read
July 5, 2017I need a "fractured history" category similar since I am not sure where to categorize it. It for a slightly older audience than Magic Tree House - sweet spot is probably mid to late 2nd to 3rd grade. The author's note in the end helps readers understand what parts are based on real facts.
February 1, 2018
Very entertaining book that shows that history isn't boring, but "surprising, sad, funny, gross stories. Set in all different times and places. What's boring about that?"
And, personally: first chapter book I've read since baby was born, so very proud of that :)
And, personally: first chapter book I've read since baby was born, so very proud of that :)
March 29, 2018
History fan Steve Sheinkin clearly knows his audience. He cleverly inserts actual historical facts and interesting asides and vignettes in a story about time travel and the possible twists that might occur if someone from one era visited another one. When Abraham Lincoln hears students in a classroom complaining about how history is boring--they'd even prefer a math worksheet to reading from their history texts--he decides that something must change. He visits Abby and Doc and tries to show them just how interesting things were back in 1860 when he was running for President and then he visits their school in modern times. Things get more than a little crazy when the youngsters' gym teacher, who bears a passing resemblance to the great man, is transported to Illinois back in 1860 and Abe engages in a wrestling match with Gigantic Phil. But Lincoln simply has to return to his original time period or else history will never be the same. There are plenty of lame jokes made by the President as Sheinkin brings this important historical figure to life in a way with which many students can relate. This new series brings to mind the terrific Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales. Both offer an easy and fun way for young readers to explore parts of the nation's history and the individuals who were a part of that history. Although I've never been bored by history, many others are, but they won't be if they read this book. I had to laugh at Abe's wrestling moves, depicted in text and in illustrations.
August 7, 2021
First sentence: Ms. Maybee said, "Okay, guys, let's get out our history books!" The whole class groaned. Doc tilted his head back and started snoring. "Very funny," Ms. Maybee said. "This is going to be fun, trust me. Abby? How about if you get us started." Abby--she's the one who broke history. It was Abby and her stepbrother, Doc. You can thank them later.
Premise/plot: What if historical figures (like Abraham Lincoln, etc.) could HEAR what was said about them? The premise of this fun new series is that historical figures HEAR everything (like HISTORY IS BORING! or I HATE HISTORY) and decide to do something about it in protest. Abraham Lincoln stars in this first time twister. He warns Abby and Doc that trouble could be coming if they can't convince their classmates that history is awesome.... He visits the present day, and they visit the past!
In the present day, Abraham Lincoln decides that he LOVES fizzy drinks and wants to become a pro wrestler. Can the kids convince Abraham Lincoln that he is desperately needed in the past?
My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I did. It is definitely written with kids in mind. The book knows how to pack in the humor--I loved Mr. Biddle (the P.E. teacher) traveling to the past and trying to get everyone to do jumping jacks. Plenty happens in this one. I think the pace stays right on target.
It definitely hints that more adventures are coming.
Premise/plot: What if historical figures (like Abraham Lincoln, etc.) could HEAR what was said about them? The premise of this fun new series is that historical figures HEAR everything (like HISTORY IS BORING! or I HATE HISTORY) and decide to do something about it in protest. Abraham Lincoln stars in this first time twister. He warns Abby and Doc that trouble could be coming if they can't convince their classmates that history is awesome.... He visits the present day, and they visit the past!
In the present day, Abraham Lincoln decides that he LOVES fizzy drinks and wants to become a pro wrestler. Can the kids convince Abraham Lincoln that he is desperately needed in the past?
My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I did. It is definitely written with kids in mind. The book knows how to pack in the humor--I loved Mr. Biddle (the P.E. teacher) traveling to the past and trying to get everyone to do jumping jacks. Plenty happens in this one. I think the pace stays right on target.
It definitely hints that more adventures are coming.
January 8, 2023
I made it my goal to read all of the 2022/2023 Battle of the Books titles, and this is one I was able to find on Libby since I was out of town and unable to access my school library.
I can definitely appreciate the way Sheinkin presents history for younger readers (I had no idea that Lincoln was actually in the wrestling hall of fame), and I can see how this would be a good series to inspire readers to dive deeper into learning about historical figures and events. The illustrations are funny, and the concept of the characters being able to jump back and forth between past/present is interesting. The book ends with the box in the storage closet shaking, which means that Abigail Adams is going to jump out and become a pirate...
Will I read the other books in this series? Probably not. But now I have a better idea of what I can recommend to my students, especially my sixth graders who are also struggling readers.
I can definitely appreciate the way Sheinkin presents history for younger readers (I had no idea that Lincoln was actually in the wrestling hall of fame), and I can see how this would be a good series to inspire readers to dive deeper into learning about historical figures and events. The illustrations are funny, and the concept of the characters being able to jump back and forth between past/present is interesting. The book ends with the box in the storage closet shaking, which means that Abigail Adams is going to jump out and become a pirate...
Will I read the other books in this series? Probably not. But now I have a better idea of what I can recommend to my students, especially my sixth graders who are also struggling readers.
October 27, 2024
Sheinkin is better at nonfiction than fiction. He started this series of historical people (not characters! Read this and you’ll know why!) who visit Abby and Doc’s school. It is light fantasy but personally, I wasn’t very impressed with it. The best part of the story were the nonfiction parts! I’m going to read the next one before making a decision about this series. Recommended for grade 3/4. To be fair, I’m adding the book looks like it’s had a fair amount of use, which means interest by the kids.
July 8, 2018
Scrolling through Goodreads reviews of this, I see a lot of confusion and even some hatred. I get it. With Sheinkin's name behind this, I was expecting something different too. But I have to say, hand this to a second grader who digs the Magic Treehouse books and I guarantee they will love it and laugh at Abe's bad jokes. And I think that's all Sheinkin was aiming to accomplish here.
Probably more like 2.5 stars, but I can't get myself to rate anything by him under 3!
Probably more like 2.5 stars, but I can't get myself to rate anything by him under 3!
August 14, 2018
Very silly, but there are quite a few historical facts given as well.
January 17, 2020
Fun book! I think my 3rd graders would enjoy this!
September 8, 2023
Tons of fun. My kiddos loved this.
July 30, 2019
My 9 year old son read this in two days. He was so excited to read it! He found it funny and all together exciting! Great intrigue for young readers: and we have all of the other time twisters on request at the library!
January 28, 2018
A cute historical fantasy series that I’m thinking may be a hit with fans of Magic Treehouse. I liked the back matter that included what was fact and what was fiction. I think students will enjoy the illustrations that accompany the text and the size of the text is great for my beginning chapter book readers. I’ll be adding these to the library.
March 28, 2018
Huh. Well, okay then.
April 24, 2018
When I first came across this book in my local Overdrive library, it didn’t seem all that interesting. However, Steve Sheinkin is the author! You probably know Sheinkin from his other well-reviewed middle grade and young adult nonfiction books, such as: Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon (2012) and Undefeated: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team (2017). Therefore, I was really interested in seeing what he would do in this new series. What I discovered is that this series reads much like the Magic Tree House, if you’re familiar with that series. A fictional time travel story is created around true historical events in an effort to interest young children who find history boring. The entire story seems completely silly, but at the end there’s a section that discusses just how much of what happened was actually true. And I’ll admit the true parts were more than I anticipated. For example, Abraham Lincoln really is the only president to be admitted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. And he really did grow his beard because a little girl wrote him a letter arguing why he should have a beard.
While the fictional story wasn’t MY cup of tea for reading pleasure, the last section was definitely helpful in showcasing interesting historical events. And perhaps that was the whole point of the series — get to the end so we can reveal just how much of the story was based on legit history. Like The Magic Treehouse, I would definitely say this series is aimed at the younger crowd — even 1st and 2nd graders might benefit from a read aloud or the audio book. I’ll also note that I “read” this book as an audio book and I noticed there were lots of helpful background sounds and music that added to the feeling of being in each location for the story. Books #1 and #2 were both published in January, and it appears book #3 is slated to be released in September.
While the fictional story wasn’t MY cup of tea for reading pleasure, the last section was definitely helpful in showcasing interesting historical events. And perhaps that was the whole point of the series — get to the end so we can reveal just how much of the story was based on legit history. Like The Magic Treehouse, I would definitely say this series is aimed at the younger crowd — even 1st and 2nd graders might benefit from a read aloud or the audio book. I’ll also note that I “read” this book as an audio book and I noticed there were lots of helpful background sounds and music that added to the feeling of being in each location for the story. Books #1 and #2 were both published in January, and it appears book #3 is slated to be released in September.
May 2, 2018
Sheinkin, Steve Abraham Lincoln: Pro Wrestler (Time Twisters, #1), 147 pages. Illustrated by Neil Swaab. Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan), 2018. $14 Content: G.
Abby and Doc are siblings that find history boring. One day while in the library, Abraham Lincoln arrives after time traveling to warn them that if they don’t start to appreciate history, then historical figures are going to stop doing what they are supposed to. Abby and Doc try to convince their classmates to care about history, but their classmates are more interested in the pro wrestler that is coming to their school. When Abe Lincoln finds himself in the middle of the pro wrestling match, Abby and Doc have to convince him to return to his place in history and help the country.
This story has a similar feel to the Magic Tree House series, but isn’t as well done. The illustrations aren’t great and the rules for time travel aren’t well established. The occasional true historical facts are so mixed up with the weird story line that it’s hard to decipher what are real Abe Lincoln facts and what isn’t real. This is geared towards 2nd-3rd grade new readers and there is an author’s note at the end clarifying what is real and what is not.
EL (K-3), EL – OPTIONAL. Reviewer, C. Peterson.
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
Abby and Doc are siblings that find history boring. One day while in the library, Abraham Lincoln arrives after time traveling to warn them that if they don’t start to appreciate history, then historical figures are going to stop doing what they are supposed to. Abby and Doc try to convince their classmates to care about history, but their classmates are more interested in the pro wrestler that is coming to their school. When Abe Lincoln finds himself in the middle of the pro wrestling match, Abby and Doc have to convince him to return to his place in history and help the country.
This story has a similar feel to the Magic Tree House series, but isn’t as well done. The illustrations aren’t great and the rules for time travel aren’t well established. The occasional true historical facts are so mixed up with the weird story line that it’s hard to decipher what are real Abe Lincoln facts and what isn’t real. This is geared towards 2nd-3rd grade new readers and there is an author’s note at the end clarifying what is real and what is not.
EL (K-3), EL – OPTIONAL. Reviewer, C. Peterson.
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
April 15, 2018
Abraham Lincoln, Pro Wrestler is the first in a delightful new series by Steve Sheinkin. In this series, the students in Ms. Maybee's class think history is boring. And they're right. The history text books in their classroom don't have anything exciting to say about Abraham Lincoln's life, but Honest Abe wants to change all that. Traveling through time. Lincoln appears to Abby and Doc, siblings that are in Ms. Maybee's class. Taking them back to Illinois with him they get a peek at what life is like for Abraham Lincoln and they realize that if history is going to change it is up to them to convince the others in their class that history is exciting.
Funny, informational, and with great illustrations adorning the pages Abraham Lincoln, Pro Wrestler is a great introduction to history for children. Giving just a teaser of facts to entice them into wanting to learn more, Mr. Sheinkin then pulls those teaser facts into an informational chapter of what Abraham Lincoln's life was really like. As a kid I hated history. As an adult I have come to appreciate the facts my teachers tried to teach me. If I had a book like Abraham Lincoln, Pro Wrestler when I was younger instead of a dry history text book I might have acquired that appreciation earlier. 4 out of 5 stars
Funny, informational, and with great illustrations adorning the pages Abraham Lincoln, Pro Wrestler is a great introduction to history for children. Giving just a teaser of facts to entice them into wanting to learn more, Mr. Sheinkin then pulls those teaser facts into an informational chapter of what Abraham Lincoln's life was really like. As a kid I hated history. As an adult I have come to appreciate the facts my teachers tried to teach me. If I had a book like Abraham Lincoln, Pro Wrestler when I was younger instead of a dry history text book I might have acquired that appreciation earlier. 4 out of 5 stars
February 1, 2018
Every day, in some classroom across America, some kid says it: "History is boring." Ouch. Quit it, kids! Don't you know that all those historical figures in your textbook can HEAR YOU? And frankly, their feelings are hurt. Especially Abraham Lincoln's. The greatest president of history, the man who abolished slavery and saved the union, boring? Well, he'll show those kids. Abraham Lincoln is on strike from history. Instead of reading about all the incredible accomplishments of this heroic man, kids now have to read about him reading the paper and twiddling his thumbs. Unless Gaby and Doc, the most anti-history kids in the class who officially BROKE history, can set things right. Time-traveling shenanigans, plus some TRULY fun facts about Honest Abe (yes, he was an accomplished wrestler!), make this a hilarious read for elementary ages. Sheinkin's not-so-subtle message - History's cool, kids! - may not convert anyone who's loathe to pick up a dense history tome, but who knows? The story is fun enough on its own without fulfilling any greater educational mission.
May 4, 2018
I’ve been obsessed with Abraham Lincoln and his family since I was a kid; I can’t get enough of him and his wife, Mary Todd.
In this delightfully imagined work, the fourth graders in Ms. Maybee’s class hate history. “It’s BORING!” Step-siblings Abby and Doc, especially Doc, are the loudest opponents of history. When Lincoln hear how much all the kids don’t like history, he decides to teach them a lesson.
Thanks to time travel Lincoln shows up in current time to teach them a lesson. He’s decided that he won’t go back to Springfield, Illinois, to win the 1860 presidential election, but instead, he wants to pursue a different dream: that of becoming a pro wrestler. Wrestling was much, much different in the 1860s than it is today, and thankfully, Sheinkin doesn’t delve into that. But that means that history is broken if Lincoln pursues his dream
It’s up to Abby and Doc to get him back to Springfield and fix history. As they learn about Lincoln and his life, they experience life in the 1860s and unwittingly learn about our greatest president ever.
At the end of the book, Sheinkin adds a chapter that tells what aspects of the story are true and what are not. I think that young readers will enjoy history in this manner, and without meaning to, learn something. Even I learned something! Abraham Lincoln: Pro Wrestler receives 5 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.
In this delightfully imagined work, the fourth graders in Ms. Maybee’s class hate history. “It’s BORING!” Step-siblings Abby and Doc, especially Doc, are the loudest opponents of history. When Lincoln hear how much all the kids don’t like history, he decides to teach them a lesson.
Thanks to time travel Lincoln shows up in current time to teach them a lesson. He’s decided that he won’t go back to Springfield, Illinois, to win the 1860 presidential election, but instead, he wants to pursue a different dream: that of becoming a pro wrestler. Wrestling was much, much different in the 1860s than it is today, and thankfully, Sheinkin doesn’t delve into that. But that means that history is broken if Lincoln pursues his dream
It’s up to Abby and Doc to get him back to Springfield and fix history. As they learn about Lincoln and his life, they experience life in the 1860s and unwittingly learn about our greatest president ever.
At the end of the book, Sheinkin adds a chapter that tells what aspects of the story are true and what are not. I think that young readers will enjoy history in this manner, and without meaning to, learn something. Even I learned something! Abraham Lincoln: Pro Wrestler receives 5 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.
February 21, 2018
Looking at the top half of this book, I wouldn't have given it much thought. But then looking at the lower half and seeing Steve Sheinkin's name meant I had to read it.
Doc and Abby think history is boring--their whole class does!--and prominent figures in history, like Abe Lincoln are here to tell them if they keep it up, these historical figures are done. Now it's up to Doc and Abby to convince him to head back to resume his place in history.
This was fun but a little hard for me to blindly accept--I mean I'm good for suspending my disbelief but I need something to go on other than a mysterious box in a storage room. Maybe more details will come in future installments? Either way, I think kids will identify with Doc and Abby and also find the humor and fun in history. Good for fans of Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales, too. Recommended for grades 2 and up.
Doc and Abby think history is boring--their whole class does!--and prominent figures in history, like Abe Lincoln are here to tell them if they keep it up, these historical figures are done. Now it's up to Doc and Abby to convince him to head back to resume his place in history.
This was fun but a little hard for me to blindly accept--I mean I'm good for suspending my disbelief but I need something to go on other than a mysterious box in a storage room. Maybe more details will come in future installments? Either way, I think kids will identify with Doc and Abby and also find the humor and fun in history. Good for fans of Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales, too. Recommended for grades 2 and up.
July 8, 2019
Abby and Doc are kids that find a time traveling cardboard box. They discover that when they say studying Lincoln is boring in history class he can hear them and he decides to not run as President but become a pro wrestler. The box transports them and Lincoln back-and-forth from the present to the past. Sheinkin's nonfiction writing is brilliant, but this splash into fiction writing leaves much to be desired. I think he's trying to model the Magic Treehouse books but the language is pretty high. The background of the characters and their development lacks depth. He keeps it simple but I'm not clear on his audience that seems young and old. Ah well, in the end I won't remember this book. Dare I say it's boring?
November 10, 2019
I appreciate what this novel was trying to do - teach history in a fun, exciting way - however, the whole thing fell kind of flat for me. The main characters were so forgettable and flat that minutes after I read the book I cannot remember their names. Some of the dialogue was so unbelievable that I wanted to smack my forehead. The most interesting part of the novel was some of the unique facts shared about Lincoln. I did not know he was in the Wrestling Hall of Fame, for example. Overall, I can see what Sheinkin was going for - some type of cross between Diary of a Wimpy Kid and The Magic Treehouse - but this novel just doesn't live up to either series.
March 2, 2025
I Googled it as Sheinkin told me to do-- Lincoln really is in the wrestling hall of fame. But it's really not about that tidbit as much as the time twisters stories are about humorously encouraging students to like history rather than turn up their noses. In this story in the series, Lincoln visits the school by jumping out of a box and then the kids jump into the box and back in the day to learn about Lincoln's horrible jokes and how he wanted to bring the nation together, not tear it apart over slavery.
These books are quick and funny, meant to share slices of a historical figure's life and bring history to life.
These books are quick and funny, meant to share slices of a historical figure's life and bring history to life.
January 2, 2018
Such a fun story! This is "Magic Tree House" with humor, excitement, and diversity. Step-brother and sister set out to save history after President Lincoln gets fed up with hearing how boring his life is. Now that they convinced Lincoln to keep living his regular life, they must try and convince other historical figures to do the same! This series is going to be a hit with reluctant readers. I love how it sneaks some history lessons into the story as well...Abraham Lincoln in the wrestling hall of fame!?!
March 27, 2018
History - can you believe that some people think it's boring! Wait until you meet President Babe Lincoln, the time traveler! Babe Lincoln appears to two friends and tells them that they have the power of enjoying and changing history right at their fingertips. The "real" Babe Lincoln and the "guest" Babe Lincoln accidentally trade places and both learn to appreciate who they are and in what time period he was born. Cute book! So glad that one of my favorite authors wrote another book about one of my favorite "Babes"!
November 30, 2018
After being so entertained by Steve Sheinkin's other kids history books (King George: What was His Problem & Two Miserable Presidents) I had pretty high expectations for this series. I didn't realize this was written for SUCH a younger crowd - my second grader loved it - I just don't think it was for me. Good for the kids, but could have been so much better. It was a fun little thing to read with my seven year old, but if you're an adult with an interest in kids books, don't waste your time. (On the other hand DO waste your time on Sheinkin's Benedict Arnold book, which is outstanding).
August 11, 2020
Doc (Black) and Abby (white) are step siblings who accidentally bring Abraham Lincoln through time into their school. Abe's mission is to show them the importance of history and historical figures, and they need to help him or risk erasing the people and events they learn about in their history books. Both history buffs and history avoiders will enjoy the fast paced action which is interlaced with historical facts--but Sheinkin leaves it up to the reader to investigate Lincoln's Wrestling Hall of Fame status. Gr. 3-5
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews