President Lincoln From log cabin to White House

Demi, an author-illustrator of historical biographies, now offers an honest and age-appropriate story about one of the nation's most beloved figures. Many of the lesser-known aspects of Lincoln's life, including the tragedy of his mother's death, his love of animals, and his obsession with books, are chronicled here. Lincoln's attitudes about slavery are painted with a broad brush, but the major events of his political career, such as his debates with Stephen Douglas and his response to secession, are included. Many of the illustrations are based on actual photographs of events, such as Lincoln's inaugurations, and the narrative is dotted with his quotes. End matter includes the text of the Gettysburg Address, a time line of major life events, and an easy-to-read map of the U.S. at the start of the Civil War. This book is comprehensive but accessible for young readers, and Demi manages to make the well-covered topic of one of our most beloved forefathers seem fresh and new.--Anderson, Erin Copyright 2016 Booklist

Gr 3-5-Demi's latest takes on our 16th president. The author covers Abraham Lincoln's birth and early life in a log cabin, his lack of formal education, his love of books and for animals, his study of the law, his marriage to Mary Todd, the birth of four sons, his election to Congress, his unsuccessful run for senator, his election to the presidency, the Civil War, the Emancipation Proclamation, the Gettysburg Address, and his assassination. Demi's detailed, signature-style illustrations are flat and simple while the text is straightforward. Lincoln is portrayed as an honest, religious, virtuous man who gave his life so that everyone could be free. A map of the United States in 1861, a copy of the Gettysburg Address, and two pages of interesting tidbits about the man's life are included. However, there is no bibliography, and though there are citations for the appended list of quotations, there is no documentation for the quotes interspersed throughout the text. VERDICT Fans of the author will want to add this attractive book to their collections.-Patricia Ann Owens, formerly with Illinois Eastern Community Colleges, Mt. Carmel © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

With a jewel cutter's precision of image and a like economy of language, Demi tells the story of the 16th U.S. president. She succeeds particularly well at conveying the iconic stories associated with Lincoln: birth in the one-room log cabin; the early death of his mother and the arrival of a gifted and loving stepmother; the fierce self-education; the debates against his Senate opponent, Stephen Douglas, which Lincoln lost but which brought him wide attention. Almost every page or double-page spread holds a quote from Lincoln set on a small scroll, reflecting the primary narrative. The Civil War, the Emancipation Proclamation, and his assassination continue the story. Demi includes child-friendly details such as Lincoln's love of animals and his creation of the Thanksgiving holiday while also conveying the larger sweep of history in his Gettysburg Address and the participation of thousands of African-Americans as soldiers for the Union cause. The figures look almost like porcelain miniatures, each tiny and detailed, using bits of collage and a color scheme with a great deal of red, white, and blue. While there are no footnotes, the backmatter includes a map of the United States in 1861, the full text of the Gettysburg Address, a timeline of Lincoln's life, and further quotes. A picture-book portrait that's beautiful as well as admiring. (Picture book/biography. 5-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.