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Revisiting Lincoln: A Photobiography by Russell Freedman and Abraham Lincoln by Amy Cohn
There are many choices of Abraham Lincoln biographies to share with children. Highlighted in this month's column are two very different approaches that represent an appeal to two different audiences.
"As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy-Whatever differs from this, to the extent of the difference, is no democracy." Thus opens Russell Freedman's Lincoln: A Photobiography which won the 1988 John Newbery Medal (Houghton Mifflin/Clarion, 1987). This biography includes numerous black-and-white photographs that chronicle Lincoln's life from the second chapter, "A Backwoods Boy," through the seventh chapter, "Who is Dead at the White House?" A special section at the back of the book, "A Lincoln Sampler," provides five pages of brief quotes from Lincoln's speeches and writing. Another section, "In Lincoln's Footsteps" includes information about ten historical sites connected to Lincoln and his life. Websites for several of the locations that Freedman mentions are listed on page 55.
An excellent choice for a younger audience is Amy Cohn's Abraham Lincoln which is an easy-to-read picture book biography of Lincoln's life (Scholastic, 1998). The illustrations by Suzy Schmidt are soft pastel and work perfectly with this "tall" book about the Civil War President.
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Extension Ideas Related to Abraham ltineoln
* Compare the two titles and discuss the in-depth information provided in Freedman's book with the more simplistic style of Cohn's book. Students also may talk about the reasons for and the differences in using photographs or illustrations to depict a person's life.
* Create a display of the various Lincoln biographies and Lincoln related information books in the school library media center. Discuss what is important in selecting a biography.
* Find information and activities for President's Day at President's Day - United in Service (http://www.whitehouse. gov/kids/presidentsday/).
* Check out Abraham Lincoln Online (http://showcase.netins. net/web/creative/lincoln.html) which provides educational links to a variety of sites, lesson plans, field trip ideas, and copyright-free Lincoln images. Students may be especially interested in Lincoln Websites for Students (http://showcase.netins.net/web/ creative/lincoln/education/ educate.htm).
* Try Abe Lincoln for Primary Children-Loogootee Community Schools (http://www.siec.kl2. in.us/~west/proj/lincoln). This site designed for younger audiences includes quizzes, classroom activities, animated...