Emancipation Proclamation

Starred review from December 1, 2012
A vivid depiction of the issues and tensions surrounding abolition and the development of Lincoln's responses to them as the United States plunged into the Civil War. From the first, Bolden adopts a personal voice that infuses her narrative with urgency--"Over the years, we rejoiced when a Northern state abolished the abomination. We agonized when a slave state entered the union." The account opens with scenes of hushed abolitionist vigils as the hour that the proclamation would officially go into effect approaches; it closes with glimpses of the joyous celebrations that followed. In between, the author tracks rising tides of both rhetoric and violence, as well as the evolution of President Abraham Lincoln's determined efforts to forge a policy that would serve military, political and moral necessities alike. Along with relevant sections of the Constitution and the final proclamation's full text (both with glosses), the author adds to her narrative a heavy infusion of impassioned rhetoric from contemporary writers and orators. These, plus a spectacular set of big, sharply reproduced prints, photos and paintings, offer cogent insights into major events and the overall tenor of the public discourse. A convincing, handsomely produced argument that the proclamation, for all its acknowledged limitations, remains a watershed document. (endnotes, bibliography, extensive timeline) (Nonfiction. 12-15)

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Starred review from January 1, 2013

Gr 5-9-After a dramatic opening description of abolitionists waiting for word that the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed, this title reviews the events that led up to the Civil War, examines Lincoln's reasons for writing it, and details the role of abolitionists. Bolden makes excellent use of primary sources; the pages are filled with archival photos, engravings, letters, posters, maps, newspaper articles, and other period documents. Detailed captions and a glossary interpret them for today's readers. Quotations from both Lincoln's contemporaries and modern scholars also break up the text. All the visual elements combine to give pages the look of a scrapbook, making the title a pleasure to browse as well as a source of research material. Bolden has chosen to tell the story in a personal voice, from the perspective of African Americans and abolitionists, "who were pledged to universal liberty." While this narrative technique makes for riveting reading and gives readers a greater understanding of the viewpoint of these groups, they won't find much information here on the Unionist Democrats, moderate Republicans, or those who opposed the Emancipation Proclamation. Pair this with another title, such as Charles W. Carey Jr.'s The Emancipation Proclamation (The Child's World, 2009) to gain that perspective.-Jackie Partch, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from February 1, 2013
Grades 6-10 *Starred Review* Presenting a complex subject too often oversimplified in books for young people, Bolden's account of the Emancipation Proclamation comes in three parts. Parts 1 and 3 are told in third-person plural from the point of view of true believers in freedom before and during the Civil War. While these sections of the book offer rhetorical and poetic expressions as well as information, part 2 offers a more straightforward view of events. As president, Lincoln managed to infuriate both slaveholders and abolitionists at different times. Bolden discusses with finesse the complex interplay of Lincoln's speeches, writing, and actions with regard to slavery. Beautifully reproduced on thick, glossy pages, the illustrations include nineteenth-century photos, paintings, prints, maps, and documents and the high-quality printing often gives even black-and-white images tinges of color and a greater sense of depth. Lengthy, detailed captions accompany many of the illustrations. In addition to presenting the text of the Emancipation Proclamation, Bolden comments on its specific terms and its immediate and long-term effects. Many students, particularly at the lower end of the publisher-recommended age range (1014), will find the vocabulary and the historical context challenging. Still, at its best, the language soars, powerfully communicating not just the facts about the Emancipation Proclamation but its meaning for those who cared most passionately.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)