On Presidents' Day, Read About Lincoln's Handy Hat

Today is Presidents' Day, a holiday to honor America's presidents, particularly George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, whose birthdays are in February. I tend to think of Lincoln much more on his birthday, February 12, which is also my birthday, but I thought this would be a good day to review a Lincoln book I received for my birthday. While it was written specifically for beginning readers, Lincoln enthusiasts of any age can find enjoyment in Mr. Lincoln's Hat.

This 48-page book written by Martha Brenner and illustrated by Donald Cook focuses mostly on Lincoln's early adulthood. The hat, which is such an iconic element of Lincoln's image, is both a useful and comical prop. Brenner explains in simple, appealing language how useful Lincoln's hat was to him as a means of keeping track of all his papers. The portrait that emerges through the several sentences per page is that of a very smart but rather scatterbrained man who did not take himself too seriously. At the same time, he was deeply committed to certain causes, and his folksy manner was an asset to him as he championed them.

Brenner effectively uses repetition, both for the sake of clarity and humor, to weave her tale of the different ways in which Lincoln's hat came in handy and played some sort of role in famous incidents in his life. She cites several specific events, including a murder trial and another trial that served as an early indication of his loathing for slavery. She also includes several funny stories, such the time that some mischievous boys strung a rope up to knock his hat off his head and another time when a judge fined him for whispering a joke during a trial then rescinded the fine after finding the joke hilarious himself.

The illustrations have a soft quality to them and are rich in detail. Many of them, such as the cover illustration depicting him running down the street after his hat and scattered letters, have a humorous quality to them. This is a great book to use in order to introduce children to other aspects of Lincoln's life before his presidency, and its whimsical quality adds to the appeal.

I've seen many books about Lincoln for this age group. Several focus on his childhood or upon his presidency. Others follow him throughout his life, showing how his early love of reading or of animals helped shape the decisions he made later. This book has elements of both those approaches, as it zeroes in on a particular time in Lincoln's life but does so through the lens of a specific object of importance to him. This focus works very well, and as a lifelong Lincoln fan and a bit of a scatterbrain, I found myself both entertained and tempted to try his unique organizational system for myself.

A Dizzying Cast of Characters Explores Love in Valentine's Day

I was supposed to be a Valentine’s Day baby. Instead, I arrived a couple of days early, which suits me fine, since I tend to have more enthusiasm for Abraham Lincoln, whose birthday I share, than for the holiday that hasn’t been too eventful for me since the end of the elementary school cardboard Valentine mailboxes. Still, I’ve never resented the holiday. I enjoy exchanging Valentines with my parents and a couple of friends, and at some point during the week, I usually make it out to the video store or the theater to catch a sappy movie. Last year, it was Valentine’s Day, a romantic comedy with an expansive cast of characters whose lives intersect on February 14 in, or on the way to, Los Angeles.

Two years ago saw the release of He’s Just Not That Into You, which had a similarly high number of characters to keep track of. Structurally, the two are fairly similar, but Valentine’s Day, directed by Garry Marshall, feels a lot less cynical, celebrating love both young and old and not restricting it to romance, either. While that is a major focus of the movie, it also lauds family relationships, mentorships and general kindness to friend and stranger alike. I found it refreshingly positive.

As with He’s Just Not That Into You, I found myself zeroing in on certain characters and zoning out on others, simply because there were so many. The main character is Reed Bennett, a puppy dog of a florist who absolutely loves Valentine’s Day and who is in an especially exuberant mood this year because his girlfriend has just accepted his marriage proposal. Ashton Kutcher plays Reed, and he surprised me in the role because usually, the mere presence of Kutcher in a movie might be enough to dissuade me from watching. I generally find him obnoxious, but here, he is thoroughly lovable, as is Jennifer Garner, who plays his childhood chum, elementary school teacher Julia Fitzpatrick – though that didn’t surprise me much, as she’s been one of my favorite actresses since her thoroughly endearing turn in 13 Going on 30.

Reed’s idyllic day is about to take a troubling turn. What everyone in the audience realizes long before he does is that his girlfriend is just not that into him – and furthermore, sweet-natured Julia is. But she has a romantic partner of her own, and he has a secret that could wreak havoc on her happiness. Aside from Reed and Julia, I was most interested in Hector Elizondo, always an actor I enjoy, as Edgar, a hopeless romantic still very much in love with his wife after decades of marriage and now ready to pass some wisdom on to his young grandson Edison (Bryce Robinson), who is determined to show the object of his affections just how much he cares. These four characters give us a strong sense of the differences between puppy love, adult romance and mature love that reflects a lifetime together.

Lots of other characters experience love in a variety of ways, too, and it’s fun to see how the different characters interconnect. At the same time, there’s little opportunity to really get to know most of the characters. The movie boasts a dizzying cast list full of familiar names: Jessica Alba, Kathy Bates, Jessica Biel, Bradley Cooper, Eric Dane, Patrick Dempsey, Jamie Foxx, Topher Grace, Anne Hathaway, Queen Latifah, Taylor Lautner, George Lopez, Taylor Swift, Shirley MacLaine, Julia Roberts, Larry Miller, Kristen Schaal… There’s scarcely time to pick them out before we’re on to a new scene with new characters to keep track of, and it’s a constant guessing game to figure out what one storyline has to do with the others beyond the general theme.

Some of the situations in the movie are a bit on the risqué side, but the focus here is more often on love than lust, which I appreciated. The film’s biggest flaw is probably that it’s trying to do too much at once. Still, I was more touched than confused by the end of the movie, and while I wouldn't rank it among the best romantic comedies out there, Valentine’s Day makes for pretty enjoyable viewing and may just leave you with a better appreciation of the holiday that inspired it.

Barack Obama and Loren Long Celebrate Groundbreaking Americans in Of Thee I Sing

One advantage to working in a bookstore is that when new books of interest come out, I’m among the first to know. This week, I was surprised to see that we had a brand-new children’s book that had been written by President Barack Obama. Naturally, it piqued my interest, and after leafing through it, I was so mesmerized that I couldn’t resist buying a copy for myself.

In Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters, Obama eloquently addresses young Sasha and Malia, lavishing tender words of encouragement upon them and honoring 13 groundbreaking Americans in the process. I’m guessing that 13 were chosen as an homage to the 13 colonies, though I don’t know if that’s the case. At any rate, this is a patriotic book that is as educational as it is heartwarming. It’s oversized, a hardcover about a foot high, making it all the more appropriate as a coffee table book. That really is what I imagine this being, as a picture book by the sitting President is certainly a conversation starter, and the illustrations are absolutely stunning.

I’ve previously encountered Loren Long, who impressed me mightily with Drummer Boy, a sweet story about a toy drummer who is unwittingly sent on an epic journey to points all around town before finally making his way back to the boy who loves him. Long wrote that story as well as illustrating it, while he also furnished pictures for an edition of Frank McCourt’s gentle Angela and the Baby Jesus. Long’s acrylic paintings are gorgeous, full of light and warmth and personality. They have a very realistic quality to them, and all of the historical figures in Of Thee I Sing are instantly recognizable to those familiar with their faces.

We also see the Obama family, save Michelle, to whom the book is dedicated. The title page features Barack, as does the final page, though we never get a very clear view of him; in one picture, we see the back of his head as he watches his daughters frolic across the lawn, while in the other, a bit of his face is visible as he stands between his daughters, their hands clasped in his. Family dog Bo appears on the cover and first page, and he has the back inside flap to himself. But the girls are clearly visible throughout the book.

For most of the book, Obama and Long follow a basic format. On the left page, we have a simple question: “Have I told you that you are _____ ?” At the end of that sentence, or one very similarly phrased, is a particular admirable trait that he sees in his daughters, and he expands upon his thoughts on the next page with lyrical reflections on how one particular American exemplifies that quality.

Indeed, each sketch feels like a self-contained poem, with stirring language and deliberate line breaks. For instance, we have, “A man named Jackie Robinson played baseball / and showed us all / how to turn fear to respect / and respect to love. Of Helen Keller, he writes, “Though she could not see or hear, / she taught us to look at and listen to each other.” And Neil Armstrong: “He watched the world from way up high / and we watched his lunar landing leaps, / which made us brave enough / to take our own big, bold strides.”

For Long’s part, he starts off with Malia and Sasha on the left side against a plain white backdrop, initially joined by a little girl with a palette and paintbrushes, as the first word Obama explores is “creative”. On each page that follows, they are joined by one more child who correlates to the main subject of the two-page rumination. Meanwhile, each right-hand page features a more-than-half-page portrait of the historical American in question. Each is totally unique, not only faithfully representing the subject but setting him or her in a context that powerfully illustrates the description of his or her accomplishments.

My favorite of the portraits is of Lakota medicine man Sitting Bull. In fact, it was this painting that decided me on buying the book. Reminiscent of the style of Bev Doolittle, the picture is immediately recognizable as the somber face on the 28-cent postage stamp released in 1989. And yet it’s not a face, it’s a landscape. Or rather, it’s both. The rugged western terrain serves as the backdrop for his craggy face, with grazing horses accentuating the cheekbones and a pair of buffalo underneath windblown trees standing in for his eyes. Arresting. So is the portrait of Maya Lin, whose face is merely seen reflected in the Vietnam Veterans Memorial she designed, and there’s a sense of wonder and enchantment in the sight of a disheveled Albert Einstein standing under the stars, pencil in one hand and paper in the other, his hair ruffled by a gentle breeze.

Some of the entries are no-brainers: George Washington, Martin Luther King, Jr. and, of course, my birthday buddy, Abraham Lincoln. Others caught me more by surprise: painter Georgia O’Keeffe, singer Billie Holiday, humanitarian Jane Addams, activist Cesar Chavez. But each figure is treated as someone with important lessons to teach the future generations of children depicted, along with youths of the past, on a two-page spread that shows the incredible diversity of cultures and interests at play in America.

Of Thee I Sing is a book that aims to inspire greatness by showing today’s children how many different ways there are to make an impact. It celebrates “People who have made bright lights shine / by sharing their unique gifts / and giving us the courage to lift one another up, / to keep up the fight, / to work and build upon all that is good / in our nation.” Obama never mentions his presidency in the book, nor do the illustrations allude to it; this is just an American dad with a solid grasp of history passing some words of wisdom along to his daughters. His parting thought? “And have I told you that I love you?”

Have I told you that I love this book?

Around Epinions: Jim Shore's A House Divided Sculpture Is a Gorgeous Tribute to Abraham Lincoln

Last year marked the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, sixteenth President of the United States. I was well aware of this both because he is my favorite President and because he and I share a birthday - though mine, of course, came more than 170 years later. Although I didn’t make it to a locale of Lincolnian significance for the occasion, I celebrated by hosting a write-off on all things Lincoln. It wasn’t until a month or two later that I discovered sculptor Jim Shore’s tribute to Abraham Lincoln. Now, he’s on display with the rest of my Lincoln memorabilia.

Jim Shore is an artist known for creating sculptures that incorporate basic, traditional designs in earthy tones, reminding me of an Amish quilt or a Lang folk art calendar. We’ve mostly encountered his work at Hallmark, which is where I first saw A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand. I’ve admired many of his sculptures before, particularly those in his Disney collection, but while I’ve given my mom a couple before, I’d never purchased one for myself. But Abraham Lincoln was too perfect to resist. And, like all of Shore’s sculptures, the price was pretty reasonable in comparison with other collectibles, like Precious Moments and Charming Tails. This particular sculpture retails for $45; I bought mine on sale for $35.

This statue is made of stone resin that has been crafted and painted to resemble wood. A base six and a half inches long, four inches in width and an inch and a half high supports the President. The bottom portion of the stand looks like a slanted wooden platform, while the upper part is flat. The top of this portion is the floor upon which Lincoln’s feet rest, and it is set in a pattern of diamonds, alternating between shades of rusty red. Three sides of the upper base feature curlicues of blue and green and what look like red tulip blossoms. The front, meanwhile, has “Honest Abe” in red letters. The outline of each design is carved, so that it’s textured rather than flat.

The main attraction, of course, is Lincoln himself, who sits in a chair with a mild smile on his face. From the floor to the top of his head, it’s about seven inches. The chair, like the base, has a definite folk art quality to it. It’s a brown wooden chair with a red cushion, and flowery blue and purple designs augment the legs, while yellow dots line the cushion. Lincoln sits in a relaxed position, his legs bent at slightly different angles. His arms lie loosely on the arm rests of the chair, with his fingers brushing the edges.

The skin tone on his weathered hands and face is extremely lifelike, and his black suit and matching shoes look dapper. He wears a grayish lavender vest and a pale blue shirt, along with a black bowtie, and there are gold buttons on his suit coat. One nifty feature is that he is evidently carrying a pocket watch, and dangling across his shirt is a real, tiny golden chain. His head, which is topped with brown hair and a features a stately brown beard, is tilted to one side; thought lines crease his face, and a small mole is visible. His pink lips are arranged into a hint of a smile, and underneath his eyebrows, his half-open eyes seem to crinkle.

Over the years, I’ve collected a few Lincoln-related items, including a realistic talking action figure, a tiny cartoonish figure, an old cologne bottle in the shape of his bust, a plaque in which the words of the Gettysburg address are arranged to create a portrait of his face, a set of Lincoln postage stamps and, no doubt the strangest, a Lincoln head on a pole whose mouth clacks open and shut, after the fashion of the shark toys often sold at amusement parks. Jim Shore’s A House Divided is the jewel in the crown and a worthy addition to the shelf of any Lincoln enthusiast.

Honest Abe is a Lawyer to Reckon With in Young Mr. Lincoln

Back in February, when I was immersing myself in all things Lincoln, I discovered the movie Young Mr. Lincoln on Netflix.  I'd planned to bump it up to the top of my queue, but I never got around to it, so it took me until April to see this 1939 movie directed by John Ford and starring Henry Fonda.  It was odd to see Lincoln from his lawyer days, as I'm used to seeing him portrayed as President.  The case involved was loosely based on a case Lincoln tried later in his career, but this movie is more about being true to Lincoln's character than giving us actual facts about his life.  In honor of National Poetry Month, here's my review of the movie in verse.

Young Mr. Lincoln

John Ford and Henry Fonda made a pretty stellar team.
The Grapes of Wrath had Fonda play Tom Joad,
A man who loved his ma, a rugged hero with a dream,
A wanderer who walked a weary road.

Not long before that fabled film, the Ford and Fonda pair
United for another rousing tale
About a budding leader with an unassuming air
Who swore to see that justice would prevail.

Young Mr. Lincoln isn't a biography at all.
Most details it divulges are not real.
But Fonda is believable, a lawyer standing tall,
With witty tongue and a resolve of steel.

As Abe, he shows the sadness of a man who's suffered loss.
His craggy face is gaunt.  His eyes are kind.
He's gangly and he's awkward, but he isn't one to cross;
There's power in the way he speaks his mind.

The movie, in its first third, has a muddled sort of style,
With characters we barely get to meet
And scenes of small significance that drag on for a while
As more important ones seem incomplete. 

But once Abe has his chance to make a speech, the film's on track,
A courtroom drama full of clever tricks.
Two brothers stand accused of murder.  It's Abe's case to crack.
He'll do his best to free them from their fix.

The little hints of romance scattered here and there are odd.
His first true love is given but a scene.
He bumbles through encounters with the ritzy Mary Todd;
She doesn't seem the type to be his queen.

If anything, the tale explores love of a different sort:
The bond between a mother and her son.
His clients' rustic ma is like his own, and in the court,
That helps him to unearth the guilty one.

I'd like the movie better if it weren't in black and white.
The first half hour left me rather bored.
But otherwise, I found this Lincoln tribute a delight,
So kudos, Henry Fonda and John Ford!

Come Fill Up Your Glasses and Drink the Health of the Irish Rovers

Back in 2001, I saw the Irish Rovers in concert for the third and, thus far, final time, though I've come close to catching them again in the intervening years. They seem to be especially fond of the Erie area - and I am especially fond of them. That concert had a different flavor than the first two I attended, partly because it was in a smaller venue and partly because the line-up had changed. Will Millar, who acted as frontman at the previous concerts, was no longer with the group, and vocalist Jim Ferguson had died. Nonetheless, it was a most enjoyable concert, capped off with a meet and greet afterwards, where we bought their latest albums and had them signed by the whole band.

One of the albums we bought on that occasion was Come Fill Up Your Glasses, which has the feel of a transitional album. Will is nowhere to be found in this collection; Jim is present, but the album is dedicated to his memory, as he died shortly after the recording was completed. The most prominent member, or at least the one who most captures my attention, is John Reynolds, who in 1998, at the time this was released, was a fairly recent addition to the group.

The album consists of 14 tracks, many of which are traditional, with most featuring arrangements, if not words or music, by George Millar, brother to Will and cousin to Joe. Among the more familiar songs are Green Grows the Laurel and Little Brigid Flynn, both of which feature guys in love with unattainable women. The first has lost his love to a better man, while the second can't get the object of his affections to acknowledge his existence. Another two tracks have medleys of lively jigs and reels that give accomplished accordionist Wilcil McDowell the opportunity to shine.

Marriage is a popular subject with the Rovers and comes up in two of George's originals, Kitty the Rose of Kilrea and Will You Come and Marry Me. Both involve a poor young man marrying a beautiful woman. In the first, the speaker is a rambling rover willing to settle down for only one woman. In the second, a young woman refuses a series of earnest proposals, but in an ironic twist, she ultimately chooses a man who apparently isn't too thrilled with the honor. Bonnie Labouring Boy, meanwhile, is Joe's tender salute to all hard-working paupers who deserve to marry the women they love but don't necessarily get the opportunity.

George Millar's Ballintoy Farmer is a rather amusing and lengthy narrative ballad about a young man's all-time worst employment experience. While this is a fun song, I prefer the defiant The Shores of Botany Bay, in which a disgruntled worker tells off his boss and announces that he's headed for Australia; though most of his peers only get there as prisoners, this rough-and-tumble fellow sees freedom and opportunity in that far-off land. I like this one partly because Botany Bay always makes me think of The Wrath of Khan, and listening to it again recently, it reminds me of Yesterday's Men, a more modern but equally bitter song sung by George Donaldson of Celtic Thunder. It's one of the most rousing tunes on the album, and John and George harmonize wonderfully.

All of It and A Little Bit More are similar songs about getting as much as one can of something, whether that's alcohol or life. The first is a bit bawdy, while the second takes on a wistful tone because it's the one track on which Jim has lead vocals, and it follows a man through a life of asking for just a little bit more, including a prophetic plea for more time after a grim diagnosis from a doctor. The title track, Come Fill Up Your Glasses, is a lengthy, heartening toast wishing great things for a list of specific others and peace for all.

John has lead vocals on my two favorite tracks on this album. He wrote The Tinker, a gentle tune about a gypsy who wanders from place to place gratefully accepting the hospitality of those who take him in for the night. There's such warmth in his husky voice that listening to him sing "thank you for sharing the warmth of your fire" is like cozying up to the fireplace yourself.

Finally, Lincoln's Army, written by Johnny McEvoy, is one of the most stirring ballads I've ever heard. It's beautifully written, anchored by an AABCCB structure that charmed me so much I had to try my hand at it myself. With five stanzas of 92 syllables each, you can pack an awful lot of story into this beautiful mandolin-laced tune with the yearning flute strains that ripple through it like a plea for peace. Like many Rovers songs, it's about emigration, but it addresses a very specific experience, that of a young Irishman who leaves his family for the land of opportunity and, finding welcome only with the army, signs up to fight in the Civil War. It's a piece of history recounted in rich detail with McEvoy's accomplished lyrics, which carry a tone of perplexity for the cruelty of war, ending on this softly optimistic note: "And so, Mr. Lincoln, I find myself thinking / In spite of what's happened, I know what we'll do: / Pray God if he's willing there'll be no more killing / And we'll raise up the Stars, the Red. White and the Blue." It's one of the humblest pacifist songs I've encountered, and John's resonant voice is a perfect fit for it.

I'd recommend the album on the strength of Lincoln's Army alone, but Come Fill Up Your Glasses is packed with excellent material from beginning to end, so much so that although I considered Will my favorite member up until his split with the group, I can honestly say the album doesn't feel empty without him. Longtime fans who remember the Rovers from their heyday will be glad to see how they've weathered changes, remaining just as cohesive and entertaining as ever.

The President's Puppy: Lincoln From a Dog's Eye View

Ever since Barack Obama's Election Day promise to buy his daughters a puppy, there's been a lot of speculation as to what type of pup might have the honor of being First Dog. Presidential pets are nothing new; according to Wikipedia, only Chester A. Arthur had no pets at all during his stay in the White House, and all but ten Presidents had dogs there. That includes Abraham Lincoln, who adopted a dog named Jip after he got to the White House, but he also left a dog behind in Springfield, fearing the journey and change of surroundings would prove too traumatic. That dog was Fido, the subject of The President's Puppy, a level four Hello Reader! written by Linda Oatman High and illustrated by Steve Bjorkman.

This is an easy reader designed for second and third graders, so the sentence structure tends to be pretty basic, and there's quite a bit of repetition along the lines of Fido did this or He did that. This gives the story a slightly truncated feel. The writing is informative but not particularly engrossing. The illustrations, meanwhile, are a cartoonish sort of realistic and remind me of Sucie Stevenson's pictures for the Henry and Mudge series.

The book is written in the third person but lets readers into Fido's head as the author imagines how the dog would respond to his family life in Illinois and the change in his circumstances after Lincoln's election to the presidency. Among the more interesting tidbits are Lincoln's habit of going to Billy the Barber's and Diller's Drugstore (with Fido in tow) and his gift of Fido's favorite sofa to the neighbors who took him in. There's also the fact that the Lincolns had a photograph taken of Fido before they left for Washington, D.C.; the book doesn't mention this, but it was the first known photo of a presidential pet.

Though the book concludes with President Lincoln's assassination, it fails to mention the death of Willie Lincoln, who figures prominently in the first portion of the book. Perhaps High didn't want the book to get too depressing; I certainly don't blame her for leaving out the fact that Fido's life ended in 1866 when he was stabbed by a drunk. Still, there are certain elements that could have been expanded upon, and the title is misleading, as Fido was several years old in 1860.

The President's Puppy is an interesting little slice of history. By describing his dog, which did many of the same things any typical dog would do (chase his tail, have his ears scratched, play in the leaves, steal food off the table), High helps make Lincoln seem more accessible to modern youngsters. For a much more in-depth look at how Lincoln related to animals, I recommend Ellen Jackson's Abe Lincoln Loved Animals, but The President's Puppy is a good starting point.

Animal Enthusiasts Will Enjoy Abe Lincoln Loved Animals

There are many factors contributing to my fondness for Abraham Lincoln. One is his lifelong affection for animals. I've read several books touching on this subject, but the most comprehensive study of this aspect of his life that I've read is Ellen Jackson's Abe Lincoln Loved Animals, illustrated by Doris Ettlinger.

This book has especially wide pages, allowing for panoramic expanses showing Lincoln in the wild, such as the opening illustration in which he, as a boy, peers from behind a tree to see an array of animals including family of foxes, a pair of deer, a turtle, a raccoon, fish, frogs and birds. The book then progresses through a series of isolated incidents demonstrating Lincoln's connection to the animal world.

One story that seems to come up again and again in books I've read is the time when, as an eight-year-old, he shot a turkey and was so disturbed by it that he vowed never to hunt large animals again. Bookending that moment is the much later instance when, at the request of his son Tad, he officially pardoned Jack, a turkey intended to be made into Christmas dinner. The pardoning of a turkey each Thanksgiving is now a presidential tradition.

The book includes several stories of Lincoln intervening when he observed animals in distress, from rushing to the defense of a turtle upon whose back his school friends were placing hot coals to stopping to scoop up some baby birds that had fallen from a nest in a tree. Other tales concern his pets, like his horse, Old Bob; his dog Fido, who he left with friends in Springfield, but only after getting his photograph taken; and his cat Tabby, who ate at the table with the Lincolns at the White House.

In her Author's Note, Jackson reveals the sources for many of her stories, while the facing page lists twenty books and articles that she used for her research. I'm especially intrigued by Ruth Painter Randall's Lincoln's Animal Friends: Incidents about Abraham Lincoln and Animals, Woven into an Intimate Story of His Life.

Abe Lincoln Loved Animals is written fairly simply but is in-depth enough that it provides historical context for Lincoln's life, particularly during his years as President. Jackson relates his compassion for animals to a commitment to mercy and fairness in general, particularly when it came to slavery. The illustrations are effective, especially those that show him in the company of a variety of animals. As an added bonus, the photograph of Fido is included on the title page. While Jackson and Ettlinger might be accused of taking a rather sentimental approach to Lincoln, particularly in the way they choose to end the book, children who love animals should find it a fascinating study.

Abe Lincoln's Stepmother and Others Helped Him to Stand Tall

I'm a big fan of the show LOST, which has always explored the impact that accidental interactions can have upon a life. Events on the island itself are being increasingly revisited, allowing viewers to examine their importance. What were the turning points in these castaways' lives, on the island and off?

Author Judith St. George is very interested in "turning points" as they apply to U.S. Presidents. In Stand Tall, Abe Lincoln, she focuses on the childhood of the sixteenth President, trying to determine what some of his most formative moments may have been. Matt Faulkner furnished the gouache illustrations, which are full two-page spreads in a caricature style similar to that of C. F. Payne, who used to do the back-cover pictures for Reader's Digest.

The book is divided into six chapters of six to eight pages, with about a dozen solid paragraphs for each chapter, taking Lincoln through adolescence. The narrative itself only hints at the accomplishments and attitudes that would mark his adulthood, while a biographical sketch in the back provides a basic outline, leaving out any mention of his wife and sons. By contrast, his childhood family is of the utmost significance here.

I've always been fascinated by Lincoln, and St. George offers details I can't remember coming across before, though they're so noteworthy I'm surprised more books haven't mentioned them. For instance, when he was three, his baby brother Thomas died when he was a only few days old. A couple years later, he had a beloved pet pig that his father slaughtered. Shortly before his mother died of milk sickness, his aunt and uncle, who had recently moved to Indiana, died of the same disease, and their teenage son moved in with the Lincolns. He endured many difficult times.

But more positive events also shaped him. He went to school at the age of six, where he learned to read and made his first friend, who rescued him from potential drowning in a turbulent creek. When he was eleven, though he hadn't had formal schooling in years, he helped his neighbors read and write mail and discovered that most of them had suffered as deeply as he had. Of all the events in his young life, St. George seems to place the most emphasis upon the arrival of his stepmother Sally, who brought books and was tireless in her efforts to provide for his education.

This is one of the wordier picture book biographies of Lincoln I've read, though the illustrations are an integral part of the tale. Faulkner's characters are very expressive, his backgrounds evocative. I especially like his depiction of the Lincolns' arrival in Indiana. I'd recommend Stand Tall, Abe Lincoln for children ten and up because of its length and its fairly stark examination of his boyhood tragedies. It's a fascinating account acknowledging that it takes many steps to reach great heights.

Kay Winters Shows That Literacy Is Power in Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books

When I was growing up, I was always reading. I learned how to do it when I was four, and from then on, I carried a book with me wherever I went. This love of literacy is something I have in common with my favorite President, Abraham Lincoln. In Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books, Kay Winters explores his lifelong passion for reading, while Nancy Carpenter's oil paintings show how that drive helped him at various stages of his life.

The bulk of the book's focus is on Lincoln's childhood; the first 30 pages take him up to the age of 19, while the next eight carry him through to the Presidency. The back contains a biographical note of several paragraphs touching on the Civil War and Lincoln's death, but the main portion leaves readers with a picture of the President reading a book at his desk by a roaring fireplace and the concluding sentence, "He learned the power of words and used them well." Thus, the book isn't about Lincoln's accomplishments as President, it's about the way his literacy put him on a path to attain the Presidency as he discovered "words could change the way folks thought."

Winters' words are presented in non-rhyming poetic stanzas. There is beauty in the way she chooses to phrase her thoughts. Throughout the book, she includes various intriguing asides - that he lived in little more than a lean-to for a time when he was seven; that he whittled pegs for his mother's coffin; that he once walked miles to return six cents after accidentally overcharging a customer at his general store. But reading or writing come into play on almost every page, as Carpenter sometimes amusingly illustrates, particularly in a two-page spread showing the teenage Lincoln reading while doing a variety of chores.

While there are many aspects of Lincoln's life that The Boy Who Loved Books doesn't mention - even Mary Todd and their sons only pop up in the biographical note - the narrow focus is a nice angle to take and one to which children can relate well. I think perhaps Winters could have spent a bit more time on Lincoln's adult life, particularly since the four pages dealing with his stint at the general store don't fit very firmly with the theme. On the whole, however, it's a very effective tale, lovingly written and designed to help children appreciate not only Lincoln but the value of books, words and letters.

I'd recommend it mostly for children in the 8 to 12 range, though older Lincoln enthusiasts will find value in it, and it might make a good read-aloud for slightly younger children. It deals with dark subjects like the death of Lincoln's mother and his observation of a slave auction without being too grim, and its warm illustrations are a perfect complement to Winter's writing, which aptly demonstrates the power of words.

Grace's Gumption Is Rewarded in Mr. Lincoln's Whiskers

I'm rather fond of writing letters to famous people. I've written to authors, actors, musicians and even a U.S. President. But the President I really would have loved to write predated me by more than a century. I didn't get that chance, but 11-year-old Grace Bedell did, and the brief correspondence between this Westfield, NY, girl and soon-to-be-elected Abraham Lincoln encourages children to express their ideas and not to let anyone convince them their thoughts are of little importance.

In Mr. Lincoln's Whiskers, Karen B. Winnick depicts Grace as a young woman passionate about politics. After her father returns from a trip and brings her a poster of Lincoln, she studies his picture and decides that he would look much better with a beard. Having heard one of her brothers putting Lincoln down, she wants to do what she can to assist with his campaign, so she writes to him suggesting he adopt facial hair. Not only does she receive a response, she has the opportunity to see Lincoln when his train heading from Springfield, IL, to Washington, D.C. stops in Westfield, and he has a surprise in store for her...

Winnick's oil paintings are realistic and full of details of life in 1860. I especially like the painting of Mr. Bedell's horse-drawn carriage standing in the shadow of autumn trees and of Grace snuggling under a patchwork quilt, a little doll on her bed and a big dog underneath it. The best picture, however, is saved for last, when Grace actually meets almost-President Lincoln and savors the feel of his newly grown "whiskers" as he kisses her on the cheek.

This book includes the entire text of Lincoln's response to Grace, most notably the playful and misleading, "As to the whiskers, having never worn any, do you not think people would call it a piece of silly affection if I were to begin it now?" Grace's letter is slightly abridged, with details that have no relevance to the book omitted. Copies of both letters are included in the back of the book, so readers can puzzle over both Bedell and Lincoln's handwriting.

In subsequent years, Lincoln's beard would become a physical characteristic as striking as his height. Like William Riker, the second-in-command on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Abraham Lincoln gained a much more authoritative look when he had a few whiskers to flesh out his face. They didn't make him a better president, but they did make him seem more distinguished.

Winnick tells her story in short paragraphs set in white text boxes against the full-page illustrations. Most of the tale is told in dialogue as Grace discusses the upcoming election and its aftermath with her parents and brothers. Mr. Lincoln's Whiskers would be a great book to read to a grade school class as part of a study on Lincoln or a letter-writing project. Who knows what impact those children's words might have?

Nancy Hanks: Kentucky Girl Offers Insight Into Lincoln's "Angel Mother"

"All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother." So said Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the United States. Though Nancy Hanks Lincoln died when her son was only nine years old, she had a profound impact upon his life, which makes her a fascinating subject of historical study. Though I can't remember a time when I wasn't intrigued by Abraham Lincoln, my knowledge of his mother's life was pretty limited until I recently read Nancy Hanks: Kentucky Girl, written by Augusta Stevenson and illustrated by Gray Morrow.

This 200-page book is part of the series Childhood of Famous Americans, which includes dozens of simple biographies of historical figures. When I checked this book out of the library, the librarian gushed, "Oh, I loved these books when I was growing up! I must have read them all!" Seeing this musty volume which had been tucked away at an outlying branch brought back all sorts of memories for her and encouraged me that this would be an engaging read.

The first thing I noticed about the book was the large print, which reminded me of those kiddie adaptations of classic novels that I used to find at the dollar store. There are 14 chapters, most of which include at least one illustration taking up all or most of the page. These pictures use a color palette of either bronze or crimson; they're not very colorful, but they're effective at dramatizing important scenes.

The book is a fairly breezy read. The chapters are lengthy enough that you could read one at a time and feel as though you'd consumed something substantial but short enough that you could read the whole book in one setting pretty easily. It took me about three hours. Stevenson's primary source of information is Nancy Hanks Lincoln: A Frontier Portrait, written by Harold and Ernestine Briggs. Her book is written with an immediacy that makes it read more like a novel than a biography. The chapters tend to be dialogue-heavy and keep most of the focus on Nancy and her young friends and cousins.

Among the interesting tidbits I picked up about the future Mrs. Lincoln were the following. Nancy lacked formal schooling but was passionate about literacy. She had a gift for storytelling. She loved animals and was especially fond of replicating the calls of birds. She had an eye for details, and her keen observations were sometimes very helpful to others. She demonstrated her commitment to compassion and honesty in sometimes dramatic ways.

There's nothing especially striking about the writing style. It feels a little old-fashioned, particularly in terms of certain word choices Stevenson makes, but by no means is it too antiquated to be accessible to modern-day youngsters - or not-so-youngsters like me who could use a quick overview of the life of a woman who helped shape a legendary leader. A woman who first was a girl who faced a unique set of challenges but whose personality was not so different than many a modern child.

A section in the back relates events in Nancy's life with historical benchmarks. It also suggests relevant activities such as building a cardboard pioneer settlement or learning some songs that Nancy and her friends may have sung when they were growing up. There's a list of other books focusing on Lincoln, his mother and their times, and a glossary of unusual words finishes out the book. This book would fit in wonderfully in an elementary school library or classroom; I can so clearly picture it on the bookshelves in my fifth grade class that I wonder whether it was actually there - though if it had been, I can't imagine that I wouldn't have read it. If I had, I would have gained just a little more insight into my favorite president and a deeper appreciation of the mentors who were so instrumental in shaping his life.

I'm thinking a lot about Abraham Lincoln these days. He's always been a favorite historical figure, and because we happen to share a birthday, whenever mine rolls around I 'm inclined to think about his too. This year is especially significant. February 12, 2009 marks his 200th birthday, and in celebration I'll be spending the month reading up on Lincoln, watching movies about him and doing whatever I can to study this man and contemplate his legacy. I invite my fellow members to join me by submitting one or several reviews on the subject of Lincoln. Books are particularly fertile ground; they number in the hundreds. But that's hardly the only relevant category. I hope to post reviews in Movies, Music, Kids and Family and Travel, and there are all sorts of possibilities. The Lincoln link doesn't have to be overt; there should just be some sort of connection. And I welcome Writer's Corner posts as well. If anyone would like to join in my Lincoln's 200th Birthday Bash, please leave me a comment or drop me an e-mail and I'll link you up. Happy February!

In Honor of Lincoln on our Birthday

Today, February 12, marks the auspicious anniversary of the birth of two extremely important people - namely, Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the United States, and Erin McCarty (myself). Okay, okay, I'm not really putting myself in league with the man I consider to be this country's greatest president. But I do think it's pretty cool that I get to share a birthday with him. So I figured this year, I would honor Mr. Lincoln with a review of one of the best biographies about him that I have read.

Lincoln: A Photobiography is a concise, easy-to-read biography packed with pictures of and facts about Abraham Lincoln. It was a most useful resource to me when I did a project on Lincoln in sixth grade, and I still consider it a fine portrait of my favorite president. Obviously many others agreed with me, because this book was awarded the Newberry Medal, the most prestigious prize in children?s literature.

The book is divided up into seven chapters. Chapter One, The Mysterious Mister Lincoln, provides a physical description of Lincoln and discusses why this man has come to be known as such a remarkable person. Included are two photos, one a portrait of a whiskerless Lincoln and one of Lincoln with General McClellan and his staff. Freedman shares several observations of those who knew Lincoln, and a few comments by Lincoln himself, including the famous quip, "If I had another face do you think I'd wear this one?"

Chapter Two, A Backwoods Boy, concentrates on Lincoln's early life. He was born in 1809 and lived in Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois, working on farms and educating himself through voracious reading. His mother died when he was nine, and he gained a step-mother the following year. This chapter describes Lincoln's home life and discusses how he fought his way up through the system to eventually become a lawyer. There are many pictures in this chapter, including a photograph of Lincoln's step-mother and a very nice painting of him splitting logs as a young man.

Chapter Three, Law and Politics, lists Lincoln's struggles with making a name for himself and courting Mary Todd, whose family did not approve of him, much to Lincoln's disappointment. The two eventually married despite the family's objections, and in the next ten years they had four sons, Robert, Eddie, Willie, and Tad, as Lincoln?s reputation as a lawyer grew. The end of the chapter deals heavily with Lincoln's family life and the tragedy of Eddie's death at the age of four. Among the pictures in this chapter are side-by-side portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln and a family portrait of Mrs. Lincoln with Willie and Tad.

Chapter Four, Half Slave and Half Free, delves into Lincoln's problems with the institution of slavery. "If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong," he said. "I cannot remember when I did not so think, and feel." This chapter discusses how Lincoln dealt with the problem of slavery as a congressman and follows his bid for the presidency, his debate with Stephen Douglas, and his eventual election to the presidency. Two of the best graphics in this chapter are the poster announcing Lincoln's victory and the series of four portraits chronicling the growth of Lincoln's beard.

Chapter Five, Emancipation, chronicles the beginning of Lincoln's presidency and the commencement of the Civil War. The chapter deals with the opposition Lincoln faced, his reluctance to engage in a war that would tear the country apart, and the joys and sorrows of his family life. Of particular interest are the antics of Tad and Willie, who ran wild through the White House and had their own menagerie of pets which included a pony and a goat. This period also contained Lincoln's greatest personal tragedy, the death of 11-year-old Willie, whom Lincoln described as "too good for this earth." The chapter ends with Lincoln?s signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, which he considered to be the most significant act in which he would ever participate. Of the pictures, particularly enjoyable are the photographs of Tad and Willie and the painting depicting the signing of the Emancipation Proclamaton.

Chapter Six, This Dreadful War, follows the Civil War through to its end. Lincoln?s distaste for war is evident throughout this portion, and his "pigeon-hearted" nature is discussed in detail. His generals complained that he was always pardoning soldiers who had been given the death sentence. "It rests me, after a hard day's work, that I can find some excuse for saving some poor fellow's life," Lincoln said. This chapter also includes Lincoln's delivery of the Gettysburg Address and Lee's surrender to Grant. Many excellent graphics fill this section, including a handwritten copy of the Gettysburg Address, a full-body photo of General Lee, a painting of Pickett's charge, and the last photograph taken of President Lincoln during his life.

Chapter Seven, Who Is Dead in the White House?, concludes the narrative portion of the book, describing the days leading up to and following Lincoln's assassination. Death threats were nothing new to Lincoln, and there had been concern for his safety for some time. But when he went to Ford's Theater on April 14, he was in a festive mood. The attack by John Wilkes Booth threw the theater into an uproar, and although five doctors struggled to save Lincoln?s life, he died of his wound. In the words of Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, he would now belong to the ages. Pictures in this chapter included a poster for the capture of Lincoln's assassin, a drawing of Booth in the act of shooting Lincoln, and a photo of Lincoln's funeral procession.

Finally, the book concludes with three appendices. A Lincoln Sampler is a collection of cool quotes from President Lincoln. In Lincoln's Footsteps contains descriptions of ten historic sites dedicated to Lincoln's memory. Finally, Books About Lincoln points readers in the right direction for further reading about this great American legend. Although Lincoln: A Photobiography is not particularly in-depth, it provides an excellent overview of Lincoln's life and is filled with interesting tidbits. I would rate it essential reading for Lincoln scholars as well as those only tangentially interested in him. I can think of few people in history more worth reading about.