Honey, The Dog Who Saved Abe Lincoln
by Shari Swanson, Illustrated by Chuck Groenink
Katherine Tegen Books (January 14, 2020)
Nonfiction * Biographies * Presidents
Audience: Ages 4 to 8
IndieBound | WorldCat
Curriculum Guide & Activity Kit
Description from Goodreads:
Based on a little-known tale from Abraham Lincoln’s childhood, this charming picture book written by debut author Shari Swanson and illustrated by acclaimed artist Chuck Groenink tells a classic story of a boy, his dog, and a daring rescue.
Deeply researched and charmingly told, this is the true story of one extra-special childhood rescue—a dog named Honey.
Long before Abraham Lincoln led the nation or signed the Emancipation Proclamation, he was just a barefoot kid running around Knob Creek, Kentucky, setting animals free from traps and snatching frogs out of the jaws of snakes.
One day, young Abe found a stray dog with a broken leg and named him Honey. He had no idea that the scruffy pup would find his way into Abe’s heart, become his best friend, and—one fateful day—save his life.
Quick thoughts about the book:
There is nothing more relatable to a young child than a story about a young child and a pet. Shari Swanson’s Honey, The Dog Who Saved Abe Lincoln is exactly that story. When Lincoln was a very young boy, he had the task of bring home grain from the miller. Of course, Lincoln’s natural sense of curiosity, often slowed him down and on one particular walk home he encountered an injured dog.
Lincoln did what he could to help stabilize the animal’s leg and the dog then followed him home. Though the dog’s injured leg never properly healed, it didn’t stop the two from becoming close companions and finding adventures. It isn’t surprising that one of those adventures resulted in Honey helping to rescue young Abe by leading Lincoln’s family to a cave where he was stuck.
In a world where children are often limited in where they can wander without adult supervision, it is fun to be transported back to a time where children were able to have large areas to play. Swanson’s engaging text perfectly captures the relationship Abe and Honey shared and makes this a perfect read aloud. Chuck Groenink’s illustrations are a beautiful compliment to the text.
At the end of the book, Swanson includes a timeline of Abraham Lincoln and His Animal Encounters, and an author’s note. I love timelines and found this one to be particularly interesting. Young Abe was only 6 or 7 years old when he found Honey.
Look for a copy at your local indie bookstore or community library.
About the Author: Shari Swanson is a debut author who has been a middle school language arts teacher as well as an appellate lawyer. She received her MFA in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, where she wrote her thesis on musicality in picture books. She lives in Southern California with her husband and their dog, Honey. To learn more, and to download a free curriculum guide and activity kit, visit her website: shariswanson.com. Twitter: @ByShariSwanson Facebook: Shari Swanson, Author
About the Illustrator: Chuck Groenink hails from an overgrown village among the peat bogs in the north of the Netherlands, where he spent his formative years climbing trees, drawing, reading, and cycling. He’s a history buff who attended the ArtEZ Academy of Art & Design in Kampen and now lives in Kinderhook, NY, with his wife, dog, and two cats. Look for him at www.chuckgroenink.com.
Enter the Giveaway:
One lucky winner will receive a copy of Honey, The Dog Who Saved Abe Lincoln, courtesy of Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins Children’s Books (U.S. addresses only).
