Abe Lincoln's Dream

"An adroit blend of humor, compassion and quiet optimism reflects the statesman's character and make this a first choice for February or anytime." --Kirkus

Copyright 2012 Kirkus, LLC Used with permission.

The device of a conversation between a schoolgirl and Lincoln's ghost could have been a clumsy gimmick, but Smith (Grandpa Green) executes it with casual grace. Riffing on a piece of trivia--that White House dogs often barked inexplicably outside the Lincoln bedroom--Smith imagines Quincy straying from her White House tour and stumbling upon a familiar-looking figure in a stovepipe hat. When the melancholy gentleman confesses his anxiety about the aftermath of his presidency ("Are the states united?... Did that work out?"), she hastens to reassure him. "Yes, that worked out fine," she smiles. "And equality for all?" he presses. "That's working out, too," she says. "It's getting better all the time." They tour the country ("the ghost did the flying") and finish on the moon, whose American flag prompts Lincoln's first expression of pleasure: "Three cheers and ballyhoo!" Smith's engraving-like illustrations are in quiet shades of dollar-bill green, but there's plenty of visual excitement in the circus-poster typography. Quincy's unexpectedly moving encounter presents American history not as a series of dry and inevitable events, but as Lincoln's dream fulfilled. Ages 5-9. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Oct.)

Gr 2-5—A picture book that transforms the 16th president from a seemingly austere, severe figure into a sympathetic character. A young African American girl named Quincy encounters the ghost of Abe Lincoln on a school tour of the White House. He tells the child about a recurring dream in which he is sailing a ship on a stormy sea, unsure of where he's heading. (The afterword explains that the president reported having this nightmare several times, including the evening before his assassination.) In an attempt to cheer him, Quincy reassures Lincoln that the state of the nation has vastly improved since his presidency, and the two take flight on a whirlwind tour. Dynamic spreads of the Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore, and an American flag planted on the Moon-digitally rendered in oil painting and pen-and-ink-reflect Quincy's assertion that "'overall the founding fathers would be proud of our progress.'" The dark palette and parchmentlike background give the book a traditional feel, but Smith adds a sense of whimsy through his creative use of fonts and the witty tone of the narrative. Despite the cartoonish style, Lincoln is fully humanized: visible pen marks that indicate wrinkles and bags under his eyes suggest his anguish over the state of the union, while his penchant for corny jokes ("'Ghosts are no good at telling fibs....You can see right through them'") will endear him to readers. Pair this picture book with Maira Kalman's Looking at Lincoln (Penguin, 2012) to give students a portrait of the man that transcends mere facts.—Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal

"Lovely." —Booklist

..".bold and spectacular." —Horn Book, starred

"An adroit blend of humor, compassion and quiet optimism reflects the statesman's character and make this a first choice for February or anytime." —Kirkus

"A picture book that transforms the 16th president from a seemingly austere, severe figure into a sympathetic character. . . Smith adds a sense of whimsy through his creative use of fonts and the witty tone of the narrative." —School Library Journal, starred review