It is difficult to classify this story, certainly to put it in an arbitrary age group. Although it has distinct merit, I doubt if it would be popular with most young boys. It is a chronicle of six years in the life of Sam Graham as he lives a frontier life in Sangamon Prairie. Contemporary and near neighbor of Abraham Lincoln, Sam also has educational ambitions above rail splitting, and the conclusion of this book finds him achieving his ambition of studying medicine. There is something of the quality of The Yearling in these pages, but Sam lacks a bit of Jody's wistful charm. The plot is not highly accented and depends entirely upon day to day and season to season occurrences. The illustrations by Stanley Wood are fascinating drawings -- perhaps too primitive to appeal to the young reader. A story that is written with authentic background and perfect taste, but a puzzler as far as sales potentialities are concerned.