Just a Few Words, Mr. Lincoln

September 13, 1993
The All Aboard Reading series adds another of Fritz's ( The Double Life of Pocahantas ; Can't You Make Them Behave, King George? ) lively titles illuminating an episode in American history. Here Fritz explains that President Lincoln had two ``big jobs'': he had to free the slaves and he had to win the Civil War. She focuses on the year 1863 when, after 23,000 Union soldiers were killed in the Battle of Gettysburg, Lincoln was asked to speak at a ceremony honoring the fallen troops. Dispelling traditional lore that the President scratched out his speech on the back of an envelope during the train ride to Gettysburg, Fritz explains that it was prepared in advance, needing only a last-minute ``lick.'' Making history tangible in a delightfully down-to-earth way, the author writes that Lincoln's address was very brief; after uttering a mere 271 words, ``he was finished. It took longer to boil an egg.'' Featuring typeface, vocabulary and themes carefully geared to her intended audience, the text informally yet ably conveys the significance of Lincoln's eloquent speech, which is reprinted on the book's final page. Interspersed among Robinson's subdued, well-populated drawings are several period photos. Ages 7-9.

October 1, 1993
Gr 2-3-A book that focuses on Lincoln and his Gettysburg Address, providing lively anecdotes about the man's work and responsibilities as president, his special relationship with his son, and about his famous remarks. The text of the speech appears at the end of the book. Fritz's narrative has a strong, fresh appeal. However, there's a lack of specificity in some of the details and a somewhat annoying quantity of sentence fragments. Several archival photographs are interspersed with Robinson's attractive, realistic watercolors. But while it is stated that the crowd is to have numbered 20,000 at Gettysburg, the illustrations give the impression of a much smaller group. A map, which shows the North and South in blue and gray respectively, doesn't include state names. Also, no sources are listed. While readers will certainly enjoy the very human portrayal of Lincoln, it is doubtful whether the larger historical issues will be made clear to them.- Leda Schubert, Vermont Department of Education, Montpelier

October 1, 1993
Gr. 1-3. The circumstances surrounding Abraham Lincoln's famous 1863 speech at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, are brought to life in this engrossing, easy-to-read story. Fritz provides a great deal of information in just a few pages, including both standard historical data (what was the Civil War and why was Gettysburg so important?) and the personal anecdotes that make her books so appealing. Robinson's watercolor illustrations mesh nicely with the text, and the addition of a few photos and charts further enhances the recounting. Unfortunately, the editing of Fritz's elegant prose into an easy-reader format leaves something to be desired. Although the wording sounds fine when read aloud, the transcription contains enough sentence fragments to send a reading teacher into a state of apoplexy. Even so, this is a fascinating look at an important event that is sure to appeal to young history buffs. ((Reviewed Oct. 1, 1993))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1993, American Library Association.)