Mr. Lincoln's Boys (Scholastic Paperback) (edition 2010)

by Staton Rabin

Members	Reviews	Popularity	Average rating	Mentions
167	17	169,777	(4.06)	4

Summary: This book was about Lincolns sons Tad and Willie and how much love they had for their father. The beginning of the book starts with Tad having a dream about the war that was to come. Tad ran to his father and asked if the dream would come true and unfortunate it did. One day Tad and Willie were playing in the yard with their pet goat and they heard the booms from the canons across the river where they were fighting. The boys were always jumping and playing with their father even when he was busy he wouldn't let anyone ruin his time with his children as they were important to him. The boys spent days playing soldier and running court on their doll jack one day they got in a lot of trouble for burying jack in the rose garden. The next thing we know President Lincoln pardoned poor jack and the boys were pleased.

Reaction: I chose the book because I personally like to learn all I can about President Lincoln. But this book is really interesting I liked it because it shows that Lincoln really cared for his children even though his job was of great importance. And at the end of the book it explains about the pardon that Lincoln wrote for Jack the doll it also explains who the characters are in the story.

Extentions:
1. I would have my kids draw their favorite scene from the book (mine was trouble in the Rose Garden.)
2. I found the pardon for jack very interesting so I would probably teach something about that.
3. I would also teach about the battle that was going on across the river that the boys heard.
4. Have the children dress up one friday as people from that time period. The soldiers or even nurses for the girls.

VictoriaHernandez | Apr 12, 2014 |

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"Mr. Lincoln's boys" tells the story of the adventures of two of Lincoln's sons, Willie and Tad. Often when we think of presidents we do not think about the lives of the children. The two rambunctious boys had many adventures in the household. They took the role of a solider very seriously. The story mentions a doll named Jack who the boys were constantly putting into jail and sentencing to death. The book was interesting in the sense that many people know about Lincoln's political stance verses his home life. It gives the reading another view of one of our Nation's greatest presidents. (

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slockett2008 | May 2, 2016 |

Crisp, clear, lovely illustrations of Ibatoulline are the highlight of this small illustrated book regarding President Lincoln's very special relationship with his two mischievous sons Willie and Tad. (

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Whisper1 | Jan 1, 2015 |

Biography

Summary of book
This story is about President Lincoln’s two sons. Growing up in the white house they would get into trouble with people that worked in the white house. Mr. Lincoln was able to switch his role of president to father at a moment notice. This would at times aggravate people working with him but Mrs. Lincoln didn’t mind.

Personal reaction
This book reminded me the importance of being a loving parent above anything else. Sometimes as adults with our busy lives we don’t give our children the time they deserve. No job is as busy as the President’s job, so if he made time for his son why not us?

Extension Idea
Ask students to think about life in the White House. Have them write about what they would do if they lived in the White House for one day. Have students present their work to their class.

readcindyread | Nov 11, 2014 |

VictoriaHernandez | Apr 12, 2014 |

Summery:
This story is about President Lincoln's two youngest sons, Willie and Tad, and some of their crazy adventures in the white house, like how tad and Willie demanded a presidential pardon from President Lincoln!

Personal Reaction:
I had never actually learned very much about the Lincolns, other than the assassination, and the very sad passing of his children. I really liked this story because it showed the lighter side of his term as president and puts his story in a different light.

Classroom Extension:
Research the Lincolns as a class, make a timeline of President Lincoln's life
draw pictures of what the white house might have looked like in that time period.
Make a top hat like President Lincolns

MaryKateCollins | Nov 19, 2013 |

Summary:
The story is about Abe Lincoln's two son's who are constantly getting into trouble. The two boys play jokes on everyone. The boys have a doll named Jack who they formerly get a pardon for from the President himself.
Personal Reaction:
I thought the boys were just being your typical children. The boys are serious about play and go to every measure to make there play as believable as possible. The story ends well and the pardon is granted.
Extension Ideas:
1. History lesson on the presidents
2. Creative play

LenaReece | Oct 26, 2013 |

Summary:
This book is about Abraham Lincolns children Tad and Willie. Throughout the whole book the children are playing around their father and also around their house. The pretend to be soldiers and accuse their doll jack of several different military charges. Everyday they punish jack the doll through death by firing squad and bury him. One day they got in trouble for digging up the rose garden and they come up with the idea to ask their dad to pardon jack of all of his crimes. They run to Mr. Lincoln and he writes out a full pardon for jack.

Personal Reaction:
This was an interesting story. I felt it was a little long for young children. I feel like they would get lost but for older children it would be a good book to teach from.

Classroom Extension Ideas:
1. Discuss the civil war
2. Research Abraham Lincoln

MichelleOsburn | Oct 2, 2013 |

This was a highly educational text about the family life of Abraham Lincoln. It illustrated his more personal side and how he chose to deal with the tremendous stress of his presidency. It didn't reveal him to be a very strong authoritarian parental figure, but it conveyed his life as he apparently was. This book was extensively researched as is evidenced in the afterword. Really a great book. (

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matthewbloome | May 19, 2013 |

summary: Mr. Lincolns boys is a cute story about the antics of Lincolns two boys in the White House during the Civil War. Amusing story of the two boys activities that gave Lincoln some relief but caused the White House staff immense stress.

Personal Resonse: I enjoyed reading this historical fiction, because it shows the civil war from a kids persective. I believe that this would be great for young children and for them to understand at an equal perspective.

Classroom extention: 1-Read during a time of studying Civil War, or Abraham Lincoln.
2- Create your own story of living in the white house if your dad was president.

HalleyEllis | Oct 14, 2012 |

A fun informational book about President Lincolns two sons and then experience in the White House durring the Civil War. This book offers a different look at President Lincoln

LoniMc | May 31, 2012 |

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. "Mr. Lincoln's Boys" reads like fiction-- and indeed, small parts of it are-- but this tale of two mischievious boys is largely based on fact. Tad and Willie's trouble-making acts are juxtaposed with the increasingly hostile climate of Civil War; their imaginations run wild as they disturb the White House, while war disturbs the regular "peace" of a nation. "Mr. Lincoln's Boys" is beautifully illustrated and provides an unusual perspective on the 16th US president and both his patience and sense of humor. Author's notes in the back of the book sadly reveal that both Tad and Willie lived tragically short lives; author Stanton Rabin wisely chose to leave such detail out of the whimiscal, light-hearted story. Resources for learning more about Abraham Lincoln and his family and a selected bibliography also appear. This is a great read for President's Day-- or for any time! (

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DayehSensei | Apr 12, 2012 |

Good backmatter with additional information, as well as notes about what was changed in the story. (

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melodyreads | Feb 6, 2012 |

This story is about 2 of President Lincolns sons, Willie and Tad. It tells some of the pranks and adventures that the two boys got into around the White House during the Civil War. For instance, They boys had a doll named, Jack, who had got shot and buried everyday. The gardner made the boys get out of the gardenso the boys decided to see if their father would give Jack a pardon. President lincoln loved to find a good reason to save a soliders life.

Personal reation:
I liked this story cause it brings the President down to our level when we realize that he had to deal with being a parent while running a country.

Classroom extensions;
1)I would read this book during Febuary.
2) I would have the students write a short storyabout some of the things they would do if their dad was the President.

queenreyna2u | Apr 15, 2011 |

Informs children of what Abe Lincoln's kids went through and what their lives were like. (

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lmaddux | Dec 2, 2010 |

This book was about Mr Lincoln's boys always getting into things around the white house to keep theirselves busy. All of the workers wasn't to fond of the boys and called them names. Abe Lincolns would just laugh about the things they did and would love on them even more. They followed patterns of the soldiers going to war and would dress up like them and have their father to go along with them. Abe was never to busy for his sons.

I thought it was a cute story

This story can be read to children around president day and or maybe be a learning week about presidents

yd782615 | Nov 15, 2010 |

This book is about Lincoln's sons, Tad and Willie. It also talks about the Civil War. The book talks about Tad and Willie trying to be ordinary boys throughout the years of their father being President. All the characters in the book are based off actual people, and it shows how the President had a relationship with his two sons.

I like this book because it talked about the children of the White House and how the President was kind of laid back. The boys were always in some kind of trouble, and I can relate to that because it seems like my two girls are always up to something. I also like how the author tells about each of the characters in the back of the book.

In the classroom, we could write a note to our parents to tell them we are sorry for something we did that they make not know we did, kind of like a pardon that Abe Lincoln wrote for his son's in the book. We could also act out the civil war by spliting the class up into the north and south and answer questions about the book to see what side could remember the most to win the war.

maeganpollard | Mar 27, 2010 |

This book has received a starred review in "School Library Journal." A quote on the book jacket reads:

"This is a wonderful book, bringing the family and world of our greatest president to a younger generation."
---award-winning filmmaker, Ken Burns

Cutebunion | Aug 27, 2008 |

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