Lincoln and Kennedy: A Pair to Compare

Barretta, G. (2016). Lincoln and Kennedy: a pair to compare. New York: Christy Ottaviano Books, Henry Holt and Company.

Summary: President Abraham Lincoln grew up in a one-room log cabin. President John F. Kennedy was raised in the lap of luxury. One was a Republican and one a Democrat. They lived and served a hundred years apart.

Yet they had a number of things in common. Some were coincidental: having seven letters in their last names. Some were monumental: Lincoln's support for the abolitionist movement and Kennedy's support for the civil rights movement. They both lost a son while in office. And, of course, both were assassinated.

In this illuminating book, Gene Barretta offers an insightful portrait of two of our country's most famous presidents.

Retrieved from: Amazon.com on November 25, 2019: https://www.amazon.com/Lincoln-Kennedy-Compare-Gene-Barretta/dp/080509945X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=28OYVLY90DO0B&keywords=lincoln+and+kennedy+a+pair+to+compare&qid=1574732914&sprefix=lincoln+and+ken%2Caps%2C279&sr=8-1

Age level appropriate for this book: Grades 1-3

Justification: This book gives students a great opportunity to learn about two presidents at the same time. Because it is a book all about comparing, it would go great with the standard RI.3.5 (Identify and describe informational text structures, including comparison, cause/effect and problem/ solution structures, and describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a text and how they contribute to the overall structure.) Each page of this book has comparisons about Lincoln and Kennedy. Students could create a compare/contrast chart about this book, determining things that Lincoln and Kennedy have in common and their differences. This is a great book to use when learning about comparing/contrasting, and to learn about two of our past presidents.

Review: Gr. 3-5. Gene Barretta's dual biography of Presidents Lincoln and Kennedy provides a side-by-side comparison of the two leaders during similar moments throughout their lives. The stories are arranged roughly in chronological order, although specific dates are infrequently used. A timeline in the back-matter would have been useful, although the provided quotes, trivia, glossary, and sources are appreciated. The watercolor illustrations are bright, comedic, and visually appealing. While this title alone may not be enough for a biographical report, it could be used as a supplemental title to provide additional context.

Retrieved from Goodreads.com on November 25, 2019: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25774412-lincoln-and-kennedy