The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Fleming, Candace. 2008. The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books. ISBN 0375936180

PLOT SUMMARY

Fleming presents this biography of Abraham and Mary Lincoln in the format of a scrapbook.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary, author Candace Fleming provides a stellar example of how to prove the accuracy of the content within a book.  In the acknowledgements section at the beginning of the book, Fleming thanks several notable scholars, historians, and librarians.  Specifically, Fleming thanks history professor Dr. Herbert Lasky for his fact checking of the content.  At the end of the book, Fleming provides a list of suggested reading, related websites, and notes about her research strategies.  There is also an extensive notes section.  Primary documents were utilized extensively throughout the book, which leads to further credibility.  While it is difficult to judge the accuracy of a book without being familiar with the topic, Fleming gives thorough evidence to the accuracy of her content.

This book is organized chronologically, which could be useful for research.  Reference aids are included throughout the text -- a table of contents, subheadings, and index are all available.  If readers are looking for specific information, such as content on a specific event, it is likely that they will easily be able to find it.

Fleming chose to format this book as a scrapbook.  This was a wise decision as the content might otherwise appear as large blocks of text.  The scrapbook format does a good job of breaking up the text so that it is not overwhelming to the reader.  The prevalent use of primary documents dominates the text.  According to a note at the beginning of the book, the font throughout the book is based on typefaces from the 1800s.  This special feature is a nice touch that lends itself well to the scrapbook format. Photos and other graphics are scattered on every page.  All black and white, these pictures add to the authenticity of the content.  Coupled with the font, the book reads more like newspaper articles than a simple non-fiction book. 

If a reader were to open to any page in the book, they might be overwhelmed by the amount of text.  Upon further examination, however, the content is written in a clear and simple manner.  Although Fleming has included a lot of information, it is not too much or too complex.  Unfortunately, some young readers may be scared away before realizing this.  This book is a great tool for both research, but would also be enjoyable for children just interested in the Lincolns.  Fleming has included a lot more than normally reported historical facts.  For example, Fleming writes about Abraham’s favorite childhood books and gives the recipe for Mary’s favorite cake.  These unique facts add an interesting dynamic to the book and give it a distinctive place in the often told narrative of the Lincolns.

This book is recommended for ages 10 and up.  The content may be overwhelming for younger readers.  The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary is classified as a Juvenile book, but older readers should not shy away from it for this reason.  This would have been a valuable resource when I was in college.  Overall, I was astounded by both the quantity and the quality of the primary documents.  This is an exemplary book!

REVIEW EXCERPT(S

School Library Journal:  “From portraits to pets, the book contains a wide variety of graphics, including written and visual primary documents that enrich every spread. Notes, resources, and source notes are exemplary. It's hard to imagine a more engaging or well-told biography of the Lincolns.”

Starred review in Booklist:  “Fleming's writing, filled with quotes and personal details, is just as lively as the assortment of images, and an extensive time line, suggested resources, and source notes round out the text. Starting with her personal introduction, this exemplary resource will prompt readers to consider how an individual's life story, and a country's history, are constructed.”

CONNECTIONS

Other American biographies from Fleming include:

Fleming, Candace. Ben Franklin's Almanac: Being a True Account of the Good Gentleman's Life. ISBN 0689835493

Fleming, Candace. Our Eleanor: A Scrapbook Look at Eleanor Roosevelt's Remarkable Life. ISBN 0689865449