Monday, April 30, 2018

Abraham Lincoln: Pro Wrestler by Steve Sheinkin - OPTIONAL

Sheinkin, Steve Abraham Lincoln: Pro Wrestler (Time Twisters,#1), 147 pages.  Illustrated by Neil Swaab.  Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan), 2018. $14 Content: G.  

Abby and Doc are siblings that find history boring.  One day while in the library, Abraham Lincoln arrives after time traveling to warn them that if they don’t start to appreciate history, then historical figures are going to stop doing what they are supposed to.  Abby and Doc try to convince their classmates to care about history, but their classmates are more interested in the pro wrestler that is coming to their school.  When Abe Lincoln finds himself in the middle of the pro wrestling match, Abby and Doc have to convince him to return to his place in history and help the country.  

This story has a similar feel to the Magic Tree House series, but isn’t as well done.  The illustrations aren’t great and the rules for time travel aren’t well established.  The occasional true historical facts are so mixed up with the weird story line that it’s hard to decipher what are real Abe Lincoln facts and what isn’t real.  This is geared towards 2nd-3rd grade new readers and there is an author’s note at the end clarifying what is real and what is not.  

EL (K-3), EL – OPTIONAL.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.

No comments: