PPBF: Mr. Lincoln's Whiskers

Source

Author/Illustrator: Karen B. Winnick

Publisher: Boyd's Mills Press, Inc.

Date: 1996

Genre: Historic Fiction

Age Range: 6-10

Themes: Abraham Lincoln, U.S. Presidents





Inside cover: Abraham Lincoln was the first president of  the United States to wear a beard.  What gave him the idea to grow whiskers may have been a letter he received from an eleven-year-old girl named Grace Bedell.  Charmingly told by Karen B. Winnick and illustrated with rich oil paintings that capture the look and feel of nineteenth-century America, here is the true story of the girl whose letter helped to make Abraham Lincoln's face one of the most famous in American history.

First sentences: "Grace flew down the porch steps. "Papa, how was the fair?" she asked. "Did you meet Mr. Lincoln?" "No, Grace," Papa said. "Abraham Lincoln didn't come here to New York. He's remaining in Springfield, Illinois during the election."

Why I like this book: My teens and I were just reading the true account of Grace, and the letter which influenced Abraham Lincoln.  I love stories that shed light on little known events that include children.  The author has a reproduction of both Grace's letter and the response from Lincoln at the end of the story. At first, I couldn't appreciate the illustrations until I realized they reflected 19th century American art!

Here are some links to resources appropriate for children:

Teacher's activities, HERE

Author's page, HERE

Other activities and picture books about Abe Lincoln, HERE

Buy it HERE on Amazon.

Hope you enjoyed today's offering for Perfect Picture Book Fridays, when we review picture books which we deem worthy of mention.  This concept was created by Susanna Hill, and is a helpful resource for librarians, teachers and parents.  For a list of all books reviewed so far, along with activities to complement them, click here.