PreS-Gr 3-With a fresh approach to Lincoln that is both delightful and accurate, Aylesworth sets history to the tune of "The Old Gray Mare" and the derivative song "Our Abe Lincoln Came Out of the Wilderness," which was popular during the 16th president's campaign. Lincoln's life is depicted in the singsong verse through the framing devise of students performing a grade-school play. For example, "Strong Abe Lincoln fell oaks with a mighty axe/Oaks with a mighty axe/Oaks with a mighty axe/Strong Abe Lincoln fell oaks with a mighty axe/Many split rails ago." McClintock captures the exuberance with charming visuals that outline significant aspects of the leader's life and lore. Scenes rendered in watercolor and pen and ink feature a multicultural cast. Details such as pegs on their cabin wall demonstrate the careful research that informed the illustrations. A short paragraph at the end explains each scene. As an introduction for young children, this is a perfect resource, for the engaging images and catchy phrasing as well as for the larger story that it so deftly summarizes.-Janet S. Thompson, Chicago Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Adapted from an old song and presented as a children's pantomime, this picture-book survey of the life of the 16th president is well suited for classroom use with early elementary students. The rhyming text begins with Lincoln's birth andilluminates all the high points, verse by verse. Rather than ending with his death, however, Aylesworth brings the story full circle to once again celebrate Lincoln's humble beginnings.This helps to emphasize the distance that history lends and softens the sad story. McClintock's detailed illustrations, in her distinctive, old-fashioned style, capture the charm of young children playing dress-up and likewise serve to give a sense of distance from the disturbing realities of slavery, war and murder. While it seems unlikely that young students will be studying Lincoln's life and/or the Civil War in any depth, this overview offers an appealing way to introduce the subject. Energetic teachers might even choose to stage the pantomime, as Aylesworth includes the music. A charming tribute. (Picture book/poetry. 6-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Proving once again that they are a match made in picture-book heaven, Aylesworth and McClintock (previously paired for The Gingerbread Man) turn out a biography of Lincoln virtually guaranteed to hook readers. Adapted from a song popular during Lincoln's presidential campaigns, its verses can be sung to the tune of "The Old Grey Mare," and tell of iconic or seminal moments in Lincoln's life: "Smart Abe Lincoln read late by the firelight/ Late by the firelight/ Late by the firelight/ Smart Abe Lincoln read late by the firelight/ Many dark nights ago." McClintock brings in the storytelling magic: she shows costumed children on one side of a curtain in a school auditorium, an eager audience waiting on the other. As usual, her attention to detail rewards those who look closely: one of the actors pokes her face out from beneath the curtain, adults get ready to tie the beard on the actor playing Abe, and the expression on the boy playing the raccoon is not to be missed. Endnotes amplify each verse with relevant facts. Ages 4-8. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Staged as a play performed by a multicultural cast of young students in a school auditorium, this musical biography is an accessible introduction to Lincoln's life. The students' script is a reworking of the traditional tune The Old Gray Mare, and each of the dozen verses presents Lincoln's life events and character traits. Each verse shares a double-page spread with pen-and-ink drawings in a historic yet timeless style that presents a tableau of the children acting out the scenes. Direct references to slavery and Lincoln's assassination appear in verses that can be sung right along with the others or used on their own to begin discussions on the topic. Once the curtain comes down, there are additional facts about each of the historical moments, a recipe for Mrs. Lincoln's vanilla-almond cake (on the dust jacket), and musical notation. Well suited to both classroom and campfire, this educational picture book will provide interactive cultural and historical literacy, not just for this bicentennial of Lincoln's birth but for many years to come.--Medlar, Andrew Copyright 2008 Booklist

(Primary) When Abraham Lincoln was running for president, supporters sang a one-verse campaign ditty ("Old Abe Lincoln Came Out of the Wilderness") to the tune of "The Old Grey Mare." Aylesworth has added eleven verses to the original song, starting with "Babe Abe Lincoln was born in the wilderness / Born in the wilderness / Born in the wilderness / Babe Abe Lincoln was born in the wilderness / Many long years ago." There's "True Abe Lincoln" who was "praised for his honesty / Many good deeds ago"; "Kind Abe Lincoln" who "led as the president / Many cruel days ago"; and "Tall Abe Lincoln" who "made friends there in Illinois / Many glad times ago." McClintock bridges the time between then and now by illustrating the song as a school pageant in which youngsters in period costumes perform each verse. This rousing, unusual biography is packed with energy and humor-the top hats are almost the size of the performers; the "wilderness animals" more endearing than fearful. Spot art reinforces factual or emotional content. A recipe for Mary Todd Lincoln's Vanilla Almond Cake appears on the back cover to add a tasty historical morsel for youngsters, some of whom might sing the song or even re-create the play. From HORN BOOK, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.