Top 5 Children's Books About Abraham Lincoln

If you are looking for good children's books about Abraham Lincoln, here are several top picks that will appeal to children of all ages and reading levels.

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Lincoln Shot: A President Remembered

Cover art of Lincoln Shot: A President's Life Remembered, biography of Lincoln for tweens and teens — Feiwel and Friends

The design of Lincoln Shot: A President Remembered immediately captures the reader's interest. Although it is only 40-pages long, this is a large book, just over 12" x 18". It purports to be an old bound copy of the Special Memorial Edition published by The National News newspaper on April 14, 1866, one year after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. The Special Memorial Edition, titled "Lincoln Shot: A President Remembered," begins with illustrated articles about Lincoln's assassination.

It then goes on to tell the story of Lincoln's boyhood, his early years in business and politics, his presidential campaign and election, and the Civil War years. The book also includes a chronology of events and an index. This is an accessible and interesting biography recommended for 9 to 14 year olds. (Feiwel and Friends, 2008. ISBN: 9780312370138)

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The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary

Using a scrapbook format, which includes quotations, excerpts from articles, period photographs, artwork, and more, Candace Fleming’s The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary provides a well-researched look at the lives of Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln, from their childhoods, through Lincoln’s presidency, his assassination, and Mary’s death.

Schwartz & Wade, An Imprint of Random House Children's Books, published the book in 2008. The ISBN is 9780375836183.

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Abe's Honest Words: The Life of Abraham Lincoln

Abe's Honest Words: The Life of Abraham Lincoln provides an overview of Lincoln's life, from his childhood to his death. Author Doreen Rappaport uses Lincoln's own quotations to complement her brief biography and emphasize his feelings about enslavement, education, and other issues important to the United States. Dramatic paintings by award-winning artist Kadir Nelson add greatly to the book's impact.

There are a number of valuable resources at the end of the book: an annotated list of important dates, a recommended reading list of children's books about Abraham Lincoln, recommended Web sites, selected research sources, and the complete text of Lincoln's Gettysburg address. (Hyperion Books for Children, An Imprint of Disney Book Group, 2008. ISBN: 9781423104087)

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10 Days: Abraham Lincoln

10 Days: Abraham Lincoln is part of the 10 Days series of historical nonfiction written by David Colbert and published by Simon & Schuster. The book serves as a unique biography of Abraham Lincoln by focusing on 10 important days in Lincoln's life, days which remain important to our country's history and development. Some of the days covered include: Lincoln's debates with Senator Stephen A. Douglas, the start of the Civil War, the Emancipation Proclamation, the end of the Civil War, and Lincoln's assassination.

Much of 10 Days: Abraham Lincoln is written in the present tense, creating a sense of drama and immediacy for the reader. Historical photographs throughout the book add to the reader's enjoyment. (Aladdin Paperbacks, An Imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, 2008. ISBN: 9781416968078)

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Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books

Abe Lincoln: The boy who loved books provides a good introduction to Abraham Lincoln's life up to his election as the President of the United States, with particular emphasis on his childhood. This picture book was written by Kay Winters and illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. Many of Carpenter's paintings fill double-page spreads. The illustrations add interesting details about young Abraham Lincoln's life.

At the end of the book, in the Author's Note, is a half-page biography of Abraham Lincoln's life, from his birth to his assassination.This book is recommended for children ages 6 to 10. In addition to appealing to independent readers, the book is also a good read-aloud for classroom or home. (Aladdin Paperbacks, An Imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, 2006, 2003. ISBN: 9781416912682)

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Kennedy, Elizabeth. "Children's Books About Abraham Lincoln." ThoughtCo, Sep. 16, 2020, thoughtco.com/childrens-books-about-abraham-lincoln-627570. Kennedy, Elizabeth. (2020, September 16). Children's Books About Abraham Lincoln. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/childrens-books-about-abraham-lincoln-627570 Kennedy, Elizabeth. "Children's Books About Abraham Lincoln." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/childrens-books-about-abraham-lincoln-627570 (accessed June 2, 2023).