Review: The Boy Who Looked Like Lincoln

The Boy Who Looked Like Lincoln

Written by Mike Reiss

Illustrated by David Catrow

Publication date: 2003

Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group

ISBN: 0-8431-0271-3

Summary/Back cover:

Eight-year-old Benjy, who resembles Abraham Lincoln, is tired of being teased and always being Lincoln in the school play, but a special camp helps him to appreciate his appearance.

Benjy looks like Abe Lincoln, has done so since birth, His plans for the summer are to stay in his room in the dark, but his parents send him to Camp What-Cha-Ma-Call-It, a camp for kids who like like things.  Here Benjy meets other kids like him, ones who look like random things such as a bowling ball, a box of tissues, a toaster - even one who looks like the back of a horse! (who by the end of the summer, becomes friends with a girl who looks like the head of a horse : ) )  It is here that Benjy learns to appreciate who he is and when he returns to school, gives him the courage to stand up to the bullies.

Another humorous book, reviews have seen it be criticised for the humour being too adult related.  I have no issues with this as a lot of my favourite books for my kids are the ones that have that underlying humour in there for the parents; think Shrek.  The illustrations are great and the uplifting message of the story is a good one for older children.  This is an American book though, with American subject matter.  It alludes to historical facts about Lincoln and in the end we learn of Benjy's brother Dickie who looks like Richard Nixon, complete with a tape recorder and holding up the peace sign.  This will be of no concern to the littlies as the story and pictures are funny enough for them to pick up.

4/5

Review written by QTCass