LINCOLN TELLS A JOKE

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Krull, Kathleen and Paul Brewer. 2010. LINCOLN TELLS A JOKE: HOW LAUGHTER SAVED THE PRESIDENT (AND THE COUNTRY) Ill. By Stacy Innerst. New York, NY: Harcourt Children’s Books. ISBN 978-0-15-206639-0

PLOT SUMMARY

Krull and Brewer explore Abraham Lincoln’s life from a new perspective: humor. Given the gravity of his presidency and his importance in American history, this book takes the unusual stance of presenting his life through his love of laughter. Beginning with his childhood, Lincoln’s life story is presented anew with anecdotes about his sense of humor and his love of jokes. Filled with quotes attributed to Lincoln, the reader gains a new perspective of this much-loved American icon.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

“My father taught me how to work, but not to love it. I’d rather 

read, tell stories, crack jokes, talk, laugh.” 

Abraham Lincoln

Thus begins the reader’s journey into LINCOLN TELLS A JOKE. Weaving quotes from Lincoln into the story of his life, Krull and Brewer present a credible biography of Abraham Lincoln. Their research, from eyewitness to second- and third-hand sources, build a different Lincoln; the same, but ever more beloved. 

“Common-looking people are the best in the world; that 

is the reason the Lord makes so many of them.” 

Abraham Lincoln

Presented chronologically, each period of his life is retold, adding the humorous element to commonly known information. Kids will love this newer, better version of Lincoln, even through the Civil War Era. 

“With the fearful strain that is upon me night and day, 

if I did not laugh occasionally I should die.” 

Abraham Lincoln

One of the best elements of the book is Lincoln’s portrayal as a lover of words. From collecting words as a child to keeping joke books in the drawers of his White House desk, the reader joins Lincoln on his lifetime passion of finding the rhythm and joy in language.

“He laughed more than anyone at his own stories, letting it all 

out with a mighty “Hee Hee!” in his high-pitched voice, 

grasping his knees and rocking back and forth.”

The illustrations are acrylic on illustration board. Stacy Innerst uses muted tones to mirror the historical period, lending an old-fashioned shine to the book. Through caricature, she also plays with scale. When the book explains how children are drawn to him, always laughing, the image is of two tall legs with kids smiling. They hug Lincoln below the knees, which emphasizes the age of the kids. 

One of the most engaging illustrations shows Lincoln enjoying his own memorial: a larger-than-life Lincoln laughs and reads one of his favorite books, Quinn’s Quests, with visitors milling around the base. Just as the authors play with language, Innerst plays with this most iconic of American symbols. The reader wants to smile along with her and Lincoln; we’re all in on the same joke.

The copyright page, which is the final page of text in the book, has a list of sources used for the biography. There are books for kids to continue their own personal reading about Lincoln, as well as titles for adults to research him further or for teachers to bring Lincoln into the classroom.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

BOOK LIST: “Laughter is not only good medicine. It can also be a political tool, human motivator, and saving grace, as the authors show in this upbeat overview of Lincoln’s life.”

KIRKUS REVIEWS: “Innerst's gorgeous, textured paintings, many of them caricatures, are varied and inventive: When Lincoln's great height is described in the text, his head and feet are cropped off the page.”

CONNECTIONS

• Smithsonian Notable Book for Children, 2010
• Have kids create a caricature self-portrait. Be sure to have them draw their faces showing themselves laughing.
• Use the planning sheet written by Robin Earnest at justkiddingjokes.com to teach kids how to write their own joke. 
• Read MR. LINCOLN’S WHISKERS. Compare the two stories on a Venn Diagram.