Abe Lincoln : The Boy Who Loved Books (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Nancy Carpenter (Illustrator) "In the wilds of Kentucky, 1809, a boy was born..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Carpenter's (Fannie in the Kitchen) expressive oil paintings lend an appropriately sturdy air to this picture book biography of the 16th president. Winters (Wolf Watch) traces Lincoln's path "from the wilderness to the White House," beginning in the one-room cabin where he first spoke and progressing to his later career as a self-taught lawyer and politician who "aimed his words at wrongs he'd like to right." With an eye for details of particular interest to a young audience (such as the fact that as a boy, Lincoln plowed with a book in his back pocket for reading during frequent breaks), the author highlights the main points of Lincoln's life. Her free-verse narrative takes on a suitably homespun directness ("His ideas stretched./ His questions rose./ His dreams stirred," she writes as young Abe watches people pass by on the Cumberland Trail), a quality echoed in Carpenter's choice of oils on rough-textured canvas, in a style reminiscent of Grandma Moses's work. Frontier life unfolds in warm earth-toned shades, and the artist sets a brisk pace by interspersing smaller vignettes with full-bleed vistas. The pages bustle with spry figures, including Lincoln himself, a wiry lad with a shock of unruly hair, big ears and highwater pants. An author's note fleshes out more of the important events of Lincoln's life. This fine introduction to a president over whom, from boyhood, "letters cast a magic spell" points up a valuable message-that of the importance of words in shaping ideas and lives. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

K-Gr. 2. Using simple language, bare-bones details, and uncluttered illustrations, Winters introduces America's sixteenth president. She recounts events from Lincoln's childhood in Kentucky and Indiana and his young adulthood in New Salem, Illinois. The engaging narrative emphasizes Lincoln's love of books and reading, which flourished despite his lack of formal education. Carpenter's oil-on-canvas illustrations include many details of pioneer life and focus on Lincoln's humble beginnings. An author's note filling in some information omitted from the story is appended. This will be a good choice for reading aloud, although many children will want to follow up with a more complete biography, such as Cheryl Harness' Young Abe Lincoln: The Frontier Days: 1809-1837 (1996) or Abe Lincoln Goes to Washington: 1837-1865 (1997). Kay Weisman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing; 1 edition (January 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689825544
• ISBN-13: 978-0689825545
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #248,737 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fresh Perspective on Abe Lincoln, March 21, 2003

By	Karen Bashkirew (Emmaus, PA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

ABE LINCOLN: THE BOY WHO LOVED BOOKS is a delightful biography and a welcome addition to the body of children's books about our 16th President! With colorful, lyrical language, author Kay Winters tells the story of young Abe's boyhood from an important perspective, emphasizing at every turn his love of books, his passion for reading, and his eagerness to learn. Winters' narrative, beautifully supported by Nancy Carpenter's appealing illustrations, describes Abe as a "bookish boy" who practiced writing his letters in the dust, who loved spelling bees and spinning yarns, who carried a book in his back pocket even as he plowed, stopping at the end of each row to read a page. And at the end of the story, we find President Abraham Lincoln sitting by the fire in the White House...reading a book. As the book jacket says:
He loved books.
They changed his life.
He changed the world.
What I value most about this biography is that it gives young readers the opportunity to identify with a hero who is "bookish" and makes the connection between a love of reading and the empowerment of one person to change the world.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Abe Lincoln, reading books moved him to excel, November 3, 2003

By	Rita Marquez (USA) - See all my reviews

The first thing I noticed when looking for a children's biography book on Abraham Lincoln was Kay Winter's Abe Lincoln, The Boy who loved books. This book has wonderful pictures with vivid colors and kid-friendly portraits of Abe Lincoln as a boy. The illustrator, Nancy Carpenter, does a magnificent job bringing the book to life. Children of all ages will enjoy reading this book and realizing that a love of books, as Abraham Lincoln did, can change a persons life and move him or her to become a great person...maybe even the President of the United States.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Abe Lincoln, May 12, 2003

By A Customer

This is a wonderful biography written by Kay Winters about the United States 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. The vocabulary is kid-friendly, especially for children in grades kindergarten through second. In addition, the oil paintings on pastel can really enhance the reader's interest. Most importantly, the emphasis of how Abe Lincoln enjoyed reading, and used it to his advantage is a great encouragement for young readers!