Abraham Lincoln: The Making of America #3

by Teri Kanefield

Overview

Award-winning author Teri Kanefield’s biography of Abraham Lincoln for young readers is the story of the man widely considered America’s greatest president.

The third installment of the Making of America series, Abraham Lincoln follows one of our most popular presidents. Even though he grew up on the frontier without a formal education, Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865) worked his way up in the government. He was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives, then to the US House of Representatives, and then he became the 16th president of the United States. During his presidency, he led the United States through the Civil War, brought about the emancipation of the enslaved, and strengthened the federal government.

Unlike other biographical works, the Making of America series goes beyond individual narratives and links influential figures to create an overarching story of America’s growth. The books can be read on their own and are also a way to entice young readers to study American history. The book includes archival images, plus selections from Lincoln’s writings, endnotes, a bibliography, and an index.

The Making of America series:
Alexander Hamilton (#1)
Andrew Jackson (#2)
Abraham Lincoln (#3)
Susan B. Anthony (#4)
Franklin D. Roosevelt (#5)
Thurgood Marshall (#6)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419736254
Publisher:	Abrams Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	10/08/2019
Series:	The Making of America
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Teri Kanefield is a lawyer and the award-winning author of The Girl from the Tar Paper School, The Extraordinary Suzy Wright, the Making of America series, and more. She lives in San Luis Obispo on the central California coast.

Editorial Reviews

"This easy-reading book unfolds like a story . . . It is amazing how much information is contained in this book without being overwhelming."

School Library Connection

"The author adroitly reviews the facts of Lincoln’s entire life, divided into 16 chapters, and examines his emergence as a politician and his views on slavery . . . The author utilizes quotes from a variety of sources, including Michael Burlingame’s Abraham Lincoln: A Life, and covers a wide range of historical issues, giving readers a sense of the complexity of Lincoln’s time and the issues that divided the United States."—School Library Journal

"The author adroitly reviews the facts of Lincoln’s entire life, divided into 16 chapters, and examines his emergence as a politician and his views on slavery . . . The author utilizes quotes from a variety of sources, including Michael Burlingame’s Abraham Lincoln: A Life, and covers a wide range of historical issues, giving readers a sense of the complexity of Lincoln’s time and the issues that divided the United States."—School Library Journal

"This concise and balanced narrative encapsulates the life and legacy of one of the country's most important leaders . . . A solid addition for understanding America's story."—Kirkus Reviews

"This concise and balanced narrative encapsulates the life and legacy of one of the country's most important leaders . . . A solid addition for understanding America's story."—Kirkus Reviews

"This easy-reading book unfolds like a story . . . It is amazing how much information is contained in this book without being overwhelming."—School Library Connection

"This easy-reading book unfolds like a story . . . It is amazing how much information is contained in this book without being overwhelming."—School Library Connection

From the Publisher

06/01/2018
Gr 5 Up—The author adroitly reviews the facts of Lincoln's entire life, divided into 16 chapters, and examines his emergence as a politician and his views on slavery. Kanefield covers his rise as a successful lawyer to his serving in the Illinois legislature and one term in the U.S. House of Representatives. His run for the U.S. Senate in 1858 thrust Lincoln into the national spotlight. The author makes clear that Lincoln's firm devotion to the principles of the Declaration of Independence and his belief that all men were entitled to the fruits of their labors guided his presidency as he led the nation toward the abolition of slavery. The author utilizes quotes from a variety of sources, including Michael Burlingame's Abraham Lincoln: A Life, and covers a wide range of historical issues, giving readers a sense of the complexity of Lincoln's time and the issues that divided the United States. Selected writings of Lincoln complete the back matter. It should be noted that factual errors exist throughout: Willie Lincoln was age 11 when he died, not age seven; and Ulysses Grant was a native of Ohio, not New York. VERDICT Libraries satisfied with the other titles in the series will probably want to add this volume to their collection.—Patricia Ann Owens, formerly at Illinois Eastern Community College, Mt. Carmel

School Library Journal

2018-07-16
The presidency of Abraham Lincoln and the many constitutional issues it dealt with are explored in this book for young readers.Abraham Lincoln, born 20 years after the U.S. Constitution was ratified, served one term in Congress but twice lost bids for the Senate. However, the political volatility of the times and the growing debate concerning slavery as the country expanded into new territories (displacing Native peoples) provided the opportunity for Lincoln to rise. Lincoln's election was seen as a direct threat to the slaveholding South, and a month after his inauguration, the Civil War began, plunging the country into "its greatest constitutional crisis." In this third volume of the Making of America series, Kanefield continues to examine constitutional issues through the lives of important political figures. Here she also looks at Lincoln's views on slavery, the rights of black Americans, and the various views of Lincoln scholars on these topics. The work makes clear that despite the constitutional end to slavery through the 13th Amendment, the country did not embrace full citizenship for African-Americans. This concise and balanced narrative encapsulates the life and legacy of one of the country's most important leaders. As in others in the series, Lincoln's own words are used liberally, giving a sense of the way he thought and expressed himself. A solid addition for understanding America's story. (source notes, timeline, selected writings, a bibliography, index) (Biography. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews