Description

This accessible and stunningly illustrated picture book biography includes quotes from Abraham Lincoln himself, for an epic portrait of one of the most influential American presidents.

From the time he was a young boy roaming the forests of the remote Midwest, Abraham Lincoln knew in his heart that slavery was deeply wrong. A voracious reader, Lincoln spent every spare moment of his days filling his mind with knowledge, from history to literature to mathematics, preparing himself to one day lead the country he loved towards greater equality and prosperity. Despite the obstacles he faced as a self-educated man from the back woods, Lincoln persevered in his political career, and his compassion and honesty gradually earned him the trust of many Americans. As president, he guided the nation through a long and bitter civil war and penned the document that would lead to the end of slavery in the United States.

The passion for humanity that defined Lincoln’s life shines through in this addition to the highly acclaimed Big Words series, told in Doreen Rappaport’s accessible, absorbing prose, and brought to life in powerful illustrations by Kadir Nelson.

Don’t miss these other titles in the Big Words series!
Beacon of Hope: The Life of Barack Obama
Ellen Takes Flight: The Life of Astronaut Ellen Ochoa

Ruth Objects: The Life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Helen’s Big World: The Life of Helen Keller
Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Praise

“This collaboration between Rappaport and Nelson provides a sweeping arc of Lincoln’s life, jumping from his humble beginnings and his early political career through his struggles to preserve the union and to help abolish slavery. Rappaport writes in a very free verse, and on each page echoes her narrative with prescient samplings of Lincoln’s words... This exceptional art, along with Rappaport’s and Lincoln’s words, makes this a fine celebration of a man who needs little introduction” —Booklist
“With language as lean as our sixteenth president, Rappaport brings to light the major influences on and turning points in Lincoln’s life…Some of Nelson’s handsome portraits glow with background light and luminous skin tones, evoking the remote majesty of the statue at the Lincoln Memorial. At other times, he lets Lincoln walk down those stairs and portrays an unassuming man reading under a tree or cajoling political leaders with a story or two.” —The Horn Book
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