Abe Lincoln's Dream

Starred review from October 8, 2012
The device of a conversation between a schoolgirl and Lincoln’s ghost could have been a clumsy gimmick, but Smith (Grandpa Green) executes it with casual grace. Riffing on a piece of trivia—that White House dogs often barked inexplicably outside the Lincoln bedroom—Smith imagines Quincy straying from her White House tour and stumbling upon a familiar-looking figure in a stovepipe hat. When the melancholy gentleman confesses his anxiety about the aftermath of his presidency (“Are the states united?... Did that work out?”), she hastens to reassure him. “Yes, that worked out fine,” she smiles. “And equality for all?” he presses. “That’s working out, too,” she says. “It’s getting better all the time.” They tour the country (“the ghost did the flying”) and finish on the moon, whose American flag prompts Lincoln’s first expression of pleasure: “Three cheers and ballyhoo!” Smith’s engraving-like illustrations are in quiet shades of dollar-bill green, but there’s plenty of visual excitement in the circus-poster typography. Quincy’s unexpectedly moving encounter presents American history not as a series of dry and inevitable events, but as Lincoln’s dream fulfilled. Ages 5–9. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House.

September 15, 2012
Smith transcends cliches to present a fresh and intimate glimpse of the 16th president. Opening panels, rendered digitally and in oil and ink, hone in on three presidential pooches that wouldn't "enter THAT room" in the White House. By the time present-day Quincy goes AWOL from her tour to discover a pale man in a stovepipe hat who walks through walls, there have been enough subsequent clues that readers will understand the dogs' hesitation. The sensitive African-American protagonist perceives that Lincoln is haunted by unfinished business. While sharing groan-inducing jokes and flying over monuments, farms and the moon, the two discuss American progress. Quincy offers encouraging words on the union of the states and equality, but about fighting, she observes, "We're still working on that one." They share recurring dreams; Lincoln's is about a "ship sailing rapidly for some shore I know not where." A brief (although undocumented) afterword says this is so. The palette is appropriately somber, but touches like the striking red roses that fill the foreground of the moonlit mansion's garden mitigate the darkness. Types of varying sizes and weights mimic those found in period newspapers and political posters. The final spread features Quincy's dream: fireworks flaring, a smiling president sails into the light. An adroit blend of humor, compassion and quiet optimism reflects the statesman's character and make this a first choice for February or anytime. (Picture book. 5-8)

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Starred review from December 1, 2012

Gr 2-5-A picture book that transforms the 16th president from a seemingly austere, severe figure into a sympathetic character. A young African American girl named Quincy encounters the ghost of Abe Lincoln on a school tour of the White House. He tells the child about a recurring dream in which he is sailing a ship on a stormy sea, unsure of where he's heading. (The afterword explains that the president reported having this nightmare several times, including the evening before his assassination.) In an attempt to cheer him, Quincy reassures Lincoln that the state of the nation has vastly improved since his presidency, and the two take flight on a whirlwind tour. Dynamic spreads of the Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore, and an American flag planted on the Moon-digitally rendered in oil painting and pen-and-ink-reflect Quincy's assertion that "'overall the founding fathers would be proud of our progress.'" The dark palette and parchmentlike background give the book a traditional feel, but Smith adds a sense of whimsy through his creative use of fonts and the witty tone of the narrative. Despite the cartoonish style, Lincoln is fully humanized: visible pen marks that indicate wrinkles and bags under his eyes suggest his anguish over the state of the union, while his penchant for corny jokes ("'Ghosts are no good at telling fibs....You can see right through them'") will endear him to readers. Pair this picture book with Maira Kalman's Looking at Lincoln (Penguin, 2012) to give students a portrait of the man that transcends mere facts.-Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2012
Grades K-3 In Smith's latest presidential-themed offering, the Lincoln Room at the White House is haunted. The proof? Over the years, none of the presidential pets would step paw inside. Enter an inquisitive girl named Quincy (homage to Adams?) who is taking a school tour of the White House and spots the ghost of Lincoln standing over the Gettysburg Address. Quincy and Lincoln tell silly jokes and share what they most often dream aboutfor Lincoln, he is on a ship sailing toward an unknown shore. Eventually, Quincy leads Lincoln out of the White House and gives him an update on progress since 1865; the former prez is happy to know the states are united. While there are plenty of juicy historical tidbits for teachers and librarians to mine here, kids may need help to follow the random musings and sort fact from fiction. The excellent, textured artwork mixes period and modern details well, and the beige palette, with hints of red and blue, is lovely. A perhaps too-brief afterword references the dream, which haunted Lincoln the morning of his assassination, and notes the presidential pooches. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Highly acclaimed Smith is just coming off his Caldecott Honor win for Grandpa Green (2011). Teachers, librarians, and anyone who knows anything about kids' books will be anticipating this one.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)