Looking at Lincoln [Hardcover]

Maira Kalman (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: January 5, 2012 | Age Range: 5 - 8 years | Lexile Measure: 480L (What's this?)

Abraham Lincoln is one of the first giants of history children are introduced to, and now Maira Kalman brings him to life with her trademark style and enthusiasm. Lincoln's legacy is everywhere - there he is on your penny and five-dollar bill. And we are still the United States because Lincoln helped hold them together.

But who was he, really? The little girl in this book wants to find out. Among the many other things, she discovers our sixteenth president was a man who believed in freedom for all, had a dog named Fido, loved Mozart, apples, and his wife's vanilla cake, and kept his notes in his hat. From his boyhood in a log cabin to his famous presidency and untimely death, Kalman shares Lincoln's remarkable life with young readers in a fresh and exciting way.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Just what is Abraham Lincoln’s legacy? In this intimate portrait, a young girl walking in the park passes a man who looks like Lincoln, heads to the library, and dives into research so compelling that she has to share it with us. What follows is an account that hits the familiar notes, embellished with circular, childlike wonderings. We all know about Lincoln’s wife and family. But our narrator wonders if they had nicknames for one another. We know he was consumed with the fight for freedom and justice. But our narrator wonders if he thought about what to get his little son for his birthday, too. The facts are laid out in an austere black typeface and the wonderings in loose, hand-lettered script, with certain words in color for emphasis. Kalman’s primitive polychrome illustrations marry the two narratives into a meaningful whole, combining unexpected color choice and sophisticated composition for powerful emotional impact. Comprehensive endnotes fill in more facts and cite sources, but this is as much a personal impression of Lincoln’s legacy as an informational biography. Grades K-3. --Thom Barthelmess

Review

"Kalman's fond and bittersweet account of our lanky 16th president evokes both a schoolgirl crush and a Yankee's steely, sorrowful perspective on the price of freedom. . . . Rather than pen a textbook profile, Kalman portrays heartfelt admiration through poignant imagery."

(Publishers Weekly, starred review)

"Profusion of bright gouache illustrations that are as colorful as springtime in Arles. . . . Encourages historical examination."

(The Horn Book)

"Appealingly childlike. . . . Kalman's artwork is the main attraction here, with appealing naive illustrations done in gouache. Each page offers visual treats in a Matisse-like palette."

(Kirkus Reviews)

"Remarkable. . . . Questions that echo a child's curiosity. . . . This impressionistic biography is one that adults will want to share with children, and that children will pore over."

(Library Media Connection)

"Embellished with circular, childlike wonderings. . . . Powerful emotional impact."

(Booklist)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 5 - 8 years
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books (January 5, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039924039X
• ISBN-13: 978-0399240393
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 9.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,459 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #6 in Books > Children's Books > Biographies > U. S. Presidents & First Ladies
  • #7 in Books > Children's Books > Biographies > Political
  • #16 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Historical > United States > Civil War > Military Leaders

More About the Author

Maira Kalman is an illustrator, author, and designer. She has created many covers for The New Yorker, including the famous map of Newyorkistan (created with Rick Meyerowitz). Ms. Kalman's twelve children's books include Max Makes a Million, Stay Up Late, Swami on Rye, and What Pete Ate. She also has designed fabric for Isaac Mizrahi, accessories for Kate Spade, sets for the Mark Morris Dance Company, and, with her late husband Tibor Kalman under the M&Co. label, clocks, umbrellas, and other accessories for the Museum of Modern Art. Ms. Kalman's work is shown at the Julie Saul Gallery in Manhattan.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for First Graders February 19, 2012

By Patricia N. Earle

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Book handles subjects of slavery, the Civil War, and Lincoln's Assassination in words and concepts easy for that age to comprehend

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't all four year old little girls quote Abraham Lincoln's writings on slavery in their sleep? October 25, 2012

By The Shupp-George Family

Format:Hardcover

My daughter (who turns four this week) is very "into" the presidents, and Lincoln is one of her favorites. I've really struggled to find age-appropriate books about him, because it's impossible to discuss his presidency without bringing in slavery, the Civil War and his assassination.

This book is the closest that I've found, and she loves it. We've been reading it at bedtime for about two weeks now!

I do censor it a bit. I've decided I can't explain away enough of the illustrations to not sort of explain slavery "Some white people were being really mean and making some black people, and making them work really, really hard and they didn't pay them any money, and didn't let them do what they wanted" but I skip the part about dead soldiers and in my version "President Lincoln died" but I don't even touch on how it happened (I literally turn 2 pages together to avoid explaining the picture of the pistol.

That said, I've been able to gently introduce the information, and when we she sees the picture of the slaves, or the soldiers, she says, "I wouldn't want to be one of those guys!" (slaves, Confederate soldiers) or "I would want to be those guys!" (Union soldiers) "Because slavery was MEAN!"

Last night, I got her up to go to the bathroom, she did her thing still mostly asleep, and as she stood up, she opened her eyes and said, "Abraham Lincoln said 'If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong!' Abraham Lincoln said, 'Enough!'"

We live near Gettysburg, PA, so I'm trying to find opportunity to visit when there's some sort of Lincoln reenactment going on, so she can have the opportunity to "look at Lincoln" herself.

I would highly recommend this book for any preschooler who would like to learn more about President Lincoln.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Tackles Lincoln's Legacy/Tragedy in Kid Friendly Way August 24, 2012

By L. Sanchez

Format:Hardcover

Our bedtime book a week ago was Looking and Lincoln. It's a great picture book that somehow manages to tackle Lincoln's legacy - and tragedy - in a kid friendly way. It helps that the illustrations are bright and crude and unpretentious: it's so much fun to look at and it makes the subject matter more accessible to youngsters. That said, my toddler (age 3) and I still had a heavy bedtime conversation about slavery, bigotry, war, death, and our collective and individual obligation to do the right thing.

Looking at Lincoln is an excellent resource for those who would like to teach their young children about history and how it shapes and informs the present.