A soldier from the War of 1812 helps young Abe learn a valuable lesson, in this brief tale based on a short passage from Lincoln’s first official biography. Abe hops out of bed determined to follow Pa one morning, but he still isn’t strong enough to lift the axe out back and so must stay behind. Down at Knob Creek, Abe catches a big fat fish and imagines the joy he’ll bring to Ma and sister Sarah with his prize. On the road home, he passes a weary soldier, in torn clothes and worn-out-boots. Abe remembers school lessons about freedom and the teachings of his parents and gives the fish to the soldier, asking him whether he found freedom in the war. The answer stays with young Abe all the way to the White House. Bates’s pencil-and-watercolor illustrations use a muted palette that gives a period feel, and the handsome design features an appropriately tall, skinny trim. A lengthy author’s note and bibliography add classroom value to Bryant’s earnest and age-appropriate historical fable. (Picture book. 6-10)
Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4027-6252-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sterling
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2009
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Cast as one of a 3,000-year-old newspaper's series of retrospective issues on particular topics, this gathers fabricated interviews, memoirs, on-the-scene reports, obituaries, and even advertisements (``KEEP ON COURSE: Has your compass been letting you down?'') for a peculiar view of the history of Earth's exploration, from the Polynesian expansion 2,500 years ago to Jacques Piccard's 1960 descent into the Marianas Trench. Although Sacajawea, Mary Kingsley, Chang Chi'en and Seedy Mubarik Bombay join the usual cast of adventurers, the information here is all thoroughly recycled, and sometimes questionable—Peary may never actually have reached the North Pole, for instance—while the approach is quaintly Eurocentric: All dates are in b.c. or a.d., there are no non-European explorers on the world map, and Livingstone ``was the first explorer to . . . see the Victoria Falls.'' With well-leaded texts and full-color illustrations, the pages look nothing like a newspaper's, but that's not the only time the conceit falters. (index, not seen, maps, diagrams, charts, chronology) (Nonfiction. 8-10)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1997
ISBN: 0-7636-0314-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1997
Singh retells ten enchanting tales of ancient India and in doing so, presents a culture widely overlooked by many children in the US. In swift, clear language, readers are introduced to brief fables that don’t over-moralize. The Mogul emperor, Akbar, is enlightened by the tales of his clever friend and minister, Birbal. Whether Birbal is outsmarting his jealous enemies or saving Akbar from his own foolishness, the stories are consistently amusing, but also convey the loyalty and affection of the two friends. Zaman’s ornate illustrations perfectly convey the rich colors and culture of India through portraits of characters, snippets of scenes, and decorative chapter openers and closers. An informative introduction places all of the tales into historical perspective, and a helpful glossary concludes the collection, making it all the more accessible. (Folklore. 6-10)
Pub Date: May 1, 1998
ISBN: 1-55013-771-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Firefly
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1998
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
