From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Proving once again that they are a match made in picture-book heaven, Aylesworth and McClintock (previously paired for
The Gingerbread Man) turn out a biography of Lincoln virtually guaranteed to hook readers. Adapted from a song popular during Lincoln's presidential campaigns, its verses can be sung to the tune of "The Old Grey Mare," and tell of iconic or seminal moments in Lincoln's life: "Smart Abe Lincoln read late by the firelight/ Late by the firelight/ Late by the firelight/ Smart Abe Lincoln read late by the firelight/ Many dark nights ago." McClintock brings in the storytelling magic: she shows costumed children on one side of a curtain in a school auditorium, an eager audience waiting on the other. As usual, her attention to detail rewards those who look closely: one of the actors pokes her face out from beneath the curtain, adults get ready to tie the beard on the actor playing Abe, and the expression on the boy playing the raccoon is not to be missed. Endnotes amplify each verse with relevant facts. Ages 4–8.
(Jan.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From School Library Journal
Starred Review. PreSchool-Grade 3—With a fresh approach to Lincoln that is both delightful and accurate, Aylesworth sets history to the tune of "The Old Gray Mare" and the derivative song "Our Abe Lincoln Came Out of the Wilderness," which was popular during the 16th president's campaign. Lincoln's life is depicted in the singsong verse through the framing devise of students performing a grade-school play. For example, "Strong Abe Lincoln fell oaks with a mighty axe/Oaks with a mighty axe/Oaks with a mighty axe/Strong Abe Lincoln fell oaks with a mighty axe/Many split rails ago." McClintock captures the exuberance with charming visuals that outline significant aspects of the leader's life and lore. Scenes rendered in watercolor and pen and ink feature a multicultural cast. Details such as pegs on their cabin wall demonstrate the careful research that informed the illustrations. A short paragraph at the end explains each scene. As an introduction for young children, this is a perfect resource, for the engaging images and catchy phrasing as well as for the larger story that it so deftly summarizes.—
Janet S. Thompson, Chicago Public Library Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
