Written and Illustrated by Gene Barretta
I have always been intrigued by the similarities between Lincoln and Kennedy so I was delighted to discover this picture book that compares them. The format of half the page about each of them on one event makes it easy to follow along. There is a lot of detail about each of their lives, making this a decent biography of these Presidents. Many historical events are explained, like the Cold War, The Bay of Pigs, and the importance of Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King. The map that shows which states were on which side or uninvolved in the Civil War, and the world map that shows Communist countries help to visualize the conflicts and rivals that each President met with. The comparisons are more jarring toward the end of the book where there is actually a list of jaw dropping facts that are more well known, and may be shocking to young readers that beg the question of if all of these circumstances are just coincidences. The book isn’t extraordinary in any way, but the subject matter and how it is presented is easy to understand and follow.
Review by Terrie Bishop, Academy Park Elementary Media Center
Rating: ★★★★✩ (4 stars)
Interest Level: Grades 4-9
Lincoln and Kennedy: A Pair to Compare
Written and Illustrated by Gene Barretta
Christy Ottaviano Books
40 pages
Release Date: June 14, 2016
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
