Finding Lincoln

by Ann Malaspina

Overview

Honor Book, 2010 Horace Mann Upstanders Book Awards
A 2010 Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People
2010 Paterson Prize for Books for Young People, Grades Pre K-3
A 2010 Skipping Stones Honor Award Winner
2009 NAPPA Gold Winner
2011-2012 Show Me Readers Award Nominee List (Missouri)

Louis needs to write an essay for school about young Abraham Lincoln. But it's 1951 in Alabama, and African Americans cannot use the public library. Mama says one day soon they'll be able to check out books, but Louis isn't going to wait! When he makes a brave journey into the "whites-only" library, something surprising and wonderful happens - he meets a brave young librarian. Ann Malaspina's moving story and Colin Bootman's rich paintings evoke the troubles and triumphs of days not long past. Includes a note on the history of racial segregation in public libraries, a brief history of Abraham Lincoln's life, and an "If You Want to Read More" listing.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781489653246
Publisher:	Weigl Publishers Inc.
Publication date:	08/01/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	56
File size:	16 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	5 - 11 Years

About the Author

Ann Malaspina has written many books for children, including Touch the Sky: Alice Coachman, Olympic High Jumper and Finding Lincoln. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and two sons.

Colin Bootman was born in Trinidad. He moved to the United States when he was seven, but the vibrant palette of the Caribbean has always influenced his painting. In 2004, he received a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award. He lives in New York.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 1–3—A story set in 1951, when most public libraries in the South were for whites only. Louis, an African-American child, needs to find information on the boyhood of Abraham Lincoln for a school report. Using his usual sources, his father's collection of books and the family's church library, he still cannot find what he needs and longs to be allowed to visit the local public library. Bravely conquering his fear, he walks into the building and is met by total disapprobation by everyone except one understanding librarian, who finds a way to help him. Soft, rich watercolor illustrations accompany the text, creating a compelling look at an important piece of history. Some brief facts on Lincoln and the slavery issue, a suggested list of further reading, and a note on the history behind the book's subject are appended.—Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA

School Library Journal

"It was 1951 in Alabama, and Louis could play all his piano scales and roller-skate backwards. Still he couldn't borrow a book from the main library." The need to write an essay on young Abraham Lincoln is motivation for a young African-American boy and an opportunity for a young Caucasian librarian. With equanimity, Louis enters the whites-only library and is turned away, but the young librarian who escorts him to the door whispers that he should return after closing. Bootman's illustrations depict Louis's curiosity, determination and joy as her pursues his quest for justice. Malaspina's moving text explains the societal mores of the time and the actions of the people committed to rewriting them. Much of the story's power derives from Louis's lack of awareness of the momentous actions underway. Children usually do not fully understand the effects of the choices they make, but learning to be thoughtful and contemplative before acting is a salutary lesson readers will take away from this impressive tale. (Picture book. 5-12)

Kirkus Reviews

Honor Book, 2010 Horace Mann Upstanders Book Awards
A 2010 Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People
2010 Paterson Prize for Books for Young People, Grades Pre K-3
A 2010 Skipping Stones Honor Award Winner
2009 NAPPA Gold Winner
2011-2012 Show Me Readers Award Nominee List (Missouri)

"For personal reading and for the classroom, pair this with other stories about the civil rights movement and the brave kids who stood up to hatred."—Booklist

"Bootman's illustrations depict Louis’s curiosity, determination and joy as her pursues his quest for justice. Malaspina’s moving text explains the societal mores of the time and the actions of the people committed to rewriting them."—Kirkus Reviews

"Soft, rich watercolor illustrations accompany the text, creating a compelling look at an important piece of history."—School Library Journal

"The look of longing on Louis's face as he stands just outside the window while Whites sit at a lunch counter enjoying their strawberry milkshakes is a heart-breaker…Bootman adds visual texture to Malaspina's meaningful story."—Multicultural Review

"In the vibrant red of the library's doors, however, kids can sense the hope for treasures within."—Children's Literature

From the Publisher