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Vinnie and Abraham
Vinnie Ream was a small girl with a giant gift for sculpture. This story chronicles Vinnie's life from her arrival in Washington D.C. at the start of the Civil War through her apprenticeship with a famous sculptor and friendship with Abraham Lincoln. After Lincoln's assassination, Vinnie fights doubt and prejudice for the honor of sculpting the full-size statue of Lincoln that now stands in the Capitol rotunda.
48 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
47 people want to read
About the author
Dawn FitzGerald
12 books3 followersDawn FitzGerald lives in Ohio with her husband and two children. She teaches high school English and—as Coach Fitz—coaches the girls’ varsity soccer team.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
September 15, 2020
Vinnie and Abraham, by Dawn Fitzgerald, is a children’s book about my Cousin Vinnie and includes details about her relationship with our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln in an easy to understand book.
Also included in this review are details from other historical books about Vinnie Ream.
While collecting research on my cousin Lavinia Ellen "Vinnie" Ream Hoxie found this version of fiction based on her life for children.
Buying this and other books for research about my cousin has become a true joy.
If knowing Vinnie excites you and your children or students here are some other notable details that'll encourage further study.
Fun facts based on ’Labor of Love: The Life and Art of Vinnie Ream’, by Glen V Sherwood, details Lavinia’s held principles that moderate in current times during civil unrest. While people are debating and taking statues down representing colonialism and pain toward segments of humanity, Vinnie made it clear in her work, treatment of others, deed, and words... What she thought of and supported in regards to topics on race.
Page 217 is a fine example of one more reason to be endeared to my cousin's legacy. The story of this particular moment shares on Fredrick Douglas’s visit the same day as the late Robert Lee’s son.
”... Mr. Douglass’s name heads the page at the foot of which Mr. Lee’s is written.”... ”She is intending to model a bust of Frederick Douglas.”
’Vinnie, for the times, was quite progressive in proposing to model an African-American gentleman. In a letter to her about the concept, L.E. Walker wrote, ”The idea of making his bust seemed a good one... art is too noble to indulge in petty prejudice of color or race.”
The rest of the page is dedicated to Mr. Douglas. A structure used through the book, sharing aspects of her models is a glimpse into the personal history of the American experience.
Her support of freedom for people wasn't always easy. Similar to what we are dealing with as a nation over 100 years later in 2020. Endears me to my cousin’s legacy even more.
At one point Vinnie is kicked out of her art studio by confederate opponents due to her support of freedom for all.
Knowing the sculptor’s life and seeing Lincoln through her eyes makes me think of all the unrest today, and consider what more can her life say about history to comfort and empathize?
Other fun facts I found: Vinnie is a descendant of ”Pioneer Settlers” who fled religious prosecution in Europe a century prior to her birth. Living amongst Native Americans in the early 1700s in what is now called Pennsylvania. No doubt these stories influenced her passion for native people. It is a part of her DNA.
These local people became our family’s only neighbors. Assisted the survival of our descendants. No doubt created a generational appreciation of respect for people different from us. Evident in Vinnie’s actions.
Eventually, William Penn’s sons help our family purchase land from the owners, our native American neighbors. With an acre set aside to build a church. One that is still thriving today.
Reamstown is based on the Americanized spelling of our German immigrant family founders. Several generations prior to Vinnie’s birth to a family that migrates West during the 1800s. Settling into Wisconsin.
Being the first woman hired by Congress for art's sake, to carve the Lincoln Memorial of which she was commissioned for $10,000 is just one of the many details that make me enjoy this children’s book as an adult. Its tribute to her journey understandable by young people can add inspirationally encouraging details for generations to come.
Sincerely grateful for the opportunity to continue researching the legacy of our family history including this special tribute to my cousin, Lavinia Ellen "Vinnie" Ream Hoxie.
My favorite part of the book is ’A note from the author’. For me, this encourages knowing more for young readers. Instead of the Disney like the tail of literary embellishments, the story shows it's true nature means to extend Vinnie’s heart for generations to come.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💯
Also included in this review are details from other historical books about Vinnie Ream.
While collecting research on my cousin Lavinia Ellen "Vinnie" Ream Hoxie found this version of fiction based on her life for children.
Buying this and other books for research about my cousin has become a true joy.
If knowing Vinnie excites you and your children or students here are some other notable details that'll encourage further study.
Fun facts based on ’Labor of Love: The Life and Art of Vinnie Ream’, by Glen V Sherwood, details Lavinia’s held principles that moderate in current times during civil unrest. While people are debating and taking statues down representing colonialism and pain toward segments of humanity, Vinnie made it clear in her work, treatment of others, deed, and words... What she thought of and supported in regards to topics on race.
Page 217 is a fine example of one more reason to be endeared to my cousin's legacy. The story of this particular moment shares on Fredrick Douglas’s visit the same day as the late Robert Lee’s son.
”... Mr. Douglass’s name heads the page at the foot of which Mr. Lee’s is written.”... ”She is intending to model a bust of Frederick Douglas.”
’Vinnie, for the times, was quite progressive in proposing to model an African-American gentleman. In a letter to her about the concept, L.E. Walker wrote, ”The idea of making his bust seemed a good one... art is too noble to indulge in petty prejudice of color or race.”
The rest of the page is dedicated to Mr. Douglas. A structure used through the book, sharing aspects of her models is a glimpse into the personal history of the American experience.
Her support of freedom for people wasn't always easy. Similar to what we are dealing with as a nation over 100 years later in 2020. Endears me to my cousin’s legacy even more.
At one point Vinnie is kicked out of her art studio by confederate opponents due to her support of freedom for all.
Knowing the sculptor’s life and seeing Lincoln through her eyes makes me think of all the unrest today, and consider what more can her life say about history to comfort and empathize?
Other fun facts I found: Vinnie is a descendant of ”Pioneer Settlers” who fled religious prosecution in Europe a century prior to her birth. Living amongst Native Americans in the early 1700s in what is now called Pennsylvania. No doubt these stories influenced her passion for native people. It is a part of her DNA.
These local people became our family’s only neighbors. Assisted the survival of our descendants. No doubt created a generational appreciation of respect for people different from us. Evident in Vinnie’s actions.
Eventually, William Penn’s sons help our family purchase land from the owners, our native American neighbors. With an acre set aside to build a church. One that is still thriving today.
Reamstown is based on the Americanized spelling of our German immigrant family founders. Several generations prior to Vinnie’s birth to a family that migrates West during the 1800s. Settling into Wisconsin.
Being the first woman hired by Congress for art's sake, to carve the Lincoln Memorial of which she was commissioned for $10,000 is just one of the many details that make me enjoy this children’s book as an adult. Its tribute to her journey understandable by young people can add inspirationally encouraging details for generations to come.
Sincerely grateful for the opportunity to continue researching the legacy of our family history including this special tribute to my cousin, Lavinia Ellen "Vinnie" Ream Hoxie.
My favorite part of the book is ’A note from the author’. For me, this encourages knowing more for young readers. Instead of the Disney like the tail of literary embellishments, the story shows it's true nature means to extend Vinnie’s heart for generations to come.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💯
Read
July 6, 2015This is a gorgeously illustrated book about Vinnie Ream a young sculptor who through talent and perseverance was able to reach her goal of sculpting a bust of Abraham Lincoln. After his death Vinnie learned that sculptors were being auditioned to make a statue and she applied. Against steep odds, this young woman won the commission and spent years working on it. The statue she cc retard still stands today as a popular monument to an important man. I had no idea about Vinnie and her life. This little book taught me volumes :)
April 13, 2018
Inspiring story; excellent writing and illustrations
November 5, 2009
Summary-
Vinnie and Abraham is a picture book perfect for kids in the elementary grades. A young girl named Vinnie Ream was a young girl who was also a magnificent artist. During the Civil War, she and her family moved to Washington D.C. and began working at the post office because many of the men who typically worked there were away at war. All day while she worked she dreamed of doing art. She would even go to the graveyard to look and sketch the beautiful statues. One day she stopped by a famous sculptor's house and she told him about her love for art and he let her show him her skill. He was impressed and hired her to work for him right away. Vinnie worked very hard and began sculpting many of the congressmen, and each time she would tell them of her dream to sculpt Abraham Lincoln someday. After many congressmen suggested that the president be sculpted by Vinnie, he agreed. Her dream came true at just 16 years old. After Lincoln died, shortly after Vinnie had worked with him, Congress wanted to hire someone to sculpt a large monument of Lincoln. They wanted to find someone qualified and famous, but somehow Vinnie was chosen. Her ability was evident. The book says, "She was the youngest artist and first woman to receive a commission from the U.S." It took her five years to build her statue. Today her stature stands in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington D.C.
Review-
This is a beautiful true story of how a young girl overcame gender and age barriers to do something wonderful. She had a passion for art and was very talented and she used her skills to create art that could help people remember such a wonderful president. I enjoyed learning the history of this statue, because I think we often forget about the people behind these famous monuments, statues, or buildings. The author's note at the end of the book provides more background information on Vinnie Ream's life and more details about womens' roles during the war. The illustrations are done with watercolor, but the best picture is the one on the back cover. It is a photograph of Vinnie with the head sculpture she made of Lincoln while he was still alive.
Vinnie and Abraham is a picture book perfect for kids in the elementary grades. A young girl named Vinnie Ream was a young girl who was also a magnificent artist. During the Civil War, she and her family moved to Washington D.C. and began working at the post office because many of the men who typically worked there were away at war. All day while she worked she dreamed of doing art. She would even go to the graveyard to look and sketch the beautiful statues. One day she stopped by a famous sculptor's house and she told him about her love for art and he let her show him her skill. He was impressed and hired her to work for him right away. Vinnie worked very hard and began sculpting many of the congressmen, and each time she would tell them of her dream to sculpt Abraham Lincoln someday. After many congressmen suggested that the president be sculpted by Vinnie, he agreed. Her dream came true at just 16 years old. After Lincoln died, shortly after Vinnie had worked with him, Congress wanted to hire someone to sculpt a large monument of Lincoln. They wanted to find someone qualified and famous, but somehow Vinnie was chosen. Her ability was evident. The book says, "She was the youngest artist and first woman to receive a commission from the U.S." It took her five years to build her statue. Today her stature stands in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington D.C.
Review-
This is a beautiful true story of how a young girl overcame gender and age barriers to do something wonderful. She had a passion for art and was very talented and she used her skills to create art that could help people remember such a wonderful president. I enjoyed learning the history of this statue, because I think we often forget about the people behind these famous monuments, statues, or buildings. The author's note at the end of the book provides more background information on Vinnie Ream's life and more details about womens' roles during the war. The illustrations are done with watercolor, but the best picture is the one on the back cover. It is a photograph of Vinnie with the head sculpture she made of Lincoln while he was still alive.
February 28, 2013
I'm still plowing through weeding the J Bios and came across this book and read it. It has lousy circulation but I made sure to check it out and in :) It could be used for several purposes: We could pull it out for Presidents' Day (did you know there is no uniformity among the states of how to punctuate this holiday? Some say Presidents', some President's, some do nothing: Presidents Day! I still prefer the old way of having two holidays, one for the founder of the country, one for Lincoln....) We could use this in Women's History Month, we could use it if a kid wants to know a bit about sculpture methods or just to give kids a short biography to read. The story itself is of a lady determined to become an artist and who was a great admirer of President LIncoln. She kept bugging the various congressmen and senators to mention her name to the president until she succeeded in getting a chance to do his painting. Later, after his death, she bugged Congress again until she won over several more well known artists to get the honor of carving his statue. She took a trip to Italy and learnt from sculptors there how best to pick out marble for carving, and I suppose the techniques involved although that wasn't mentioned. The author implies that when the statue was unveiled it met with universal approval. Personally, I'd want to check that last fact but the book itself seems well researched and pretty well written.
April 20, 2008
Vinnie Ream enjoys creating sculptures even from a young age. She expresses her wish to create a sculpture of Abraham Lincoln while working as an apprentice sculpting different congressmen. When Lincoln learns that she was also born in a log cabin and was self-taught, he agrees to sit for Vinnie. After his death, Vinnie Ream pleads with Congress to allow her to sculpt a memorial statue of President Lincoln. Although they think she is too young, she is very persistent and is finally awarded this commission. A first for a woman! Her statue of Abraham Lincoln stands in the Capital’s rotunda
December 11, 2008
This is a fictionalized account of the young Vinnie Ream and how she came to sculpt Lincoln. As such, and taking it with the grain of salt that biographies for young readers typically require, a nice book has been produced. The prose flows nicely and the pictures are pleasantly colorful, well composed, showing a good attention to period detail... though avoiding any wallow in tumult and squalor of Washington, D.C., in the Civil War era. In case a reader finishes the book wanting more exactitude, the author does provide a list of resources at the end. I would also add that some of Vinnie's own speeches can be read at http://www.vinnieream.com/vr-talks.htm.
Read
July 29, 2011A new book about Lincoln I hadn't read yet. This book is about a young girl who wants to sculpt. She has a job at the Post Office in DC during the Civil War but she finds a sculptor who will teach her. She learns and sculpts Congressmen in DC. She asks the men to ask Abraham Lincoln if she could sculpt him too. They laugh at her, saying that the President doesn't have time for a young girl, just learning to sculpt. But finally someone arranges a meeting for Vinnie to meet Lincoln and she does sculpt him. She finishes her project in April and soon after Lincoln is shot. Her statue of Lincoln is in the Capitol building still today. Great story.
August 9, 2016
Originally rated G by Tara Pezze
Dawn Fitzgerald's telling of Vinnie Ream is encouraging and motivating to all who read it. This biography of Ream's life tells of her childhood growing up in Wisconsin, her move to Washington, DC, and her being one of the first women hired by the U.S. Post Office at the young age of 14, of. Fitzgerald writes about Ream's apprenticeship to with a sculptor and how she eventually persuaded President Lincoln to sit for her. The text can be a bit wordy but it is simple and straightforward. Catherine Stock's colorful illustrations brighten up the story and make the book sparkle.
Dawn Fitzgerald's telling of Vinnie Ream is encouraging and motivating to all who read it. This biography of Ream's life tells of her childhood growing up in Wisconsin, her move to Washington, DC, and her being one of the first women hired by the U.S. Post Office at the young age of 14, of. Fitzgerald writes about Ream's apprenticeship to with a sculptor and how she eventually persuaded President Lincoln to sit for her. The text can be a bit wordy but it is simple and straightforward. Catherine Stock's colorful illustrations brighten up the story and make the book sparkle.
January 17, 2009
I am so glad people write books like this that introduce me to amazing people I would have never known about. I need to read more about Vinnie Ream now. She sounds like an amazing person. I love the quotes in the front, both from her and from Laurel Ulrich. Laurel's quote is: "Well-behaved women seldom make history." That must be true...I hadn't heard of Vinnie until now. I need to find more information on her. The fact that she got to know my favorite president makes me even more curious.
September 20, 2010
This is a picture biography of a little-known artist with work displayed in high profile places.
The story of Vinnie Ream is told using beautiful watercolor illustrations and text based on writings about Vinnie and by journal entries by the artist herself. A riveting tale based on the life and experiences of a young woman pursuing her dream of becoming an artist. This multi-faceted story highlights art, history, feminism and family. Includes a picture of the artist and her Lincoln bust, a photo of her Lincoln statue that still stands in the Capitol Rotunda.
The story of Vinnie Ream is told using beautiful watercolor illustrations and text based on writings about Vinnie and by journal entries by the artist herself. A riveting tale based on the life and experiences of a young woman pursuing her dream of becoming an artist. This multi-faceted story highlights art, history, feminism and family. Includes a picture of the artist and her Lincoln bust, a photo of her Lincoln statue that still stands in the Capitol Rotunda.
June 13, 2012
A book about an artist who dreams of making a sculpture of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States. SPOILERS AHEAD- She has discovered a job as an artist to open for people to have a persons head carved for money. Then she soon meets Abraham at her store and makes his whole body, which in his hand it was the deceleration of independence. I thought this book was interesting to look at.
March 12, 2010
Show-Me Reader 09-10 nominated book.
Historical fiction book that is definitely not for the younger set as the awards may indicate. It is an interesting story, but I think it would be better served in a social studies class as a read aloud.
Historical fiction book that is definitely not for the younger set as the awards may indicate. It is an interesting story, but I think it would be better served in a social studies class as a read aloud.
October 20, 2013
I think this was a good book for the simple fact that it may show children to not limit what they can do at a young age. But part of me thinks that a young child may not fully understand the context in this book or may become bored with it.
September 26, 2007
I enjoyed the topic but don't think the book itself will garner much interest. The illustrations were not great.
December 31, 2007
Fascinating -- I didn't know this bit of history. I think kids will appreciate Vinnie's youth and determination.
April 28, 2017
What amazed me when I read this book is 1) how young she was when she made the sculpture of Lincoln, and 2) the fact that a female could be a sculptor at that time. I must read more about her!
April 9, 2009
Loved this! I had never heard of Vinnie so I enjoyed reading about her and her work scultping Abraham Lincoln.
December 20, 2011
how can someone this brilliant have slipped through the cracks of history? read this book.
September 28, 2013
It was very good fascinating!
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February 27, 2016Illustrations are done in watercolor.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 6, 2017
Vinnie and Abraham is a wonderful picture book for primary elementary students. This story is a fictionalized biographical account of Vinnie Ream, the 19th century female sculptor that was commissioned to create Abraham Lincoln's statue (events were true; dialogue was fictional). At the time, no other female had had such an opportunity. Her finest work is still is on display today in the Capitol Rotunda. This story provides the reader with Vinnie's love of art, which started as a child when scooping up riverbank clay to create sculptures for her friends. Vinnie's passion for sculpting wasn't supported as a young girl, as it was believed this wasn't an appropriate "job for a mere girl." The opporunity was presented where she met and sculpted Lincoln's bust, finishing just before his untimely death. As a memorial, Congress wanted to hire a sculptor to create a
memorial in his honor. Fortunately there were many influential people in D.C. that supported her passion for sculpting and Vinnie Ream won the commission. I believe this would be an excellent read for art teachers that teach sculpting. I could also see using this with classes discussing Womens' Rights, as well as the Civil War.
memorial in his honor. Fortunately there were many influential people in D.C. that supported her passion for sculpting and Vinnie Ream won the commission. I believe this would be an excellent read for art teachers that teach sculpting. I could also see using this with classes discussing Womens' Rights, as well as the Civil War.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews