Booth’s Daughter by Raymond Wemmlinger

Booth’s Daughter is a work of historical fiction which accurately follows the career and travels of Edwin Booth and his family fifteen years after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth. Told as a first person narrative by Edwina Booth, Edwin’s daughter, the story documents her experiences as she faces the stigma of her uncle’s crime and gains independence from her demanding and controlling father. Raymond Wemmlinger, the curator and librarian at The Hampden-Booth Theatre Library, includes a bibliography of resources used to create an accurate timeline for his fictional account of Edwina’s life. This is an excellent presentation of an alternate perspective to the assassination of Lincoln as well as the post-Civil War life style of the theater and artist crowd.

Grades 8-11

Vinnie and Abraham, by Dawn Fitzgerald.

Illus. by Catherine Stock

During the Civil War, Vinnie Ream, a young girl of fourteen finds employment at the Post Office but longs to create sculpture. She approaches Clark Mills, a famous sculptor who is impressed by her talent and hires her as his apprentice. Soon she is creating sculptures of congressmen and earns the chance to sculpt Abraham Lincoln. Following Lincoln's assasination, she wins a commission from Congress to create a statue for the Capitol rotunda. This is a remarkable true story of a young girl's talent and perseverance as well as a time period when women were gaining opportunities and recognition.

Grades 3-5