Mr. Lincoln's Way facts for kids
Mr. Lincoln’s Way is a special children's book written by Patricia Polacco. It came out in 2001, published by Philomel Books. This book helps readers understand important ideas like diversity and tolerance. It tells the story of Mr. Lincoln, a school principal, who helps a student named Eugene learn to be kinder and overcome his feelings of hatred. Patricia Polacco also created all the beautiful watercolor pictures for the book.
Contents
Discovering Mr. Lincoln's Way
What is Mr. Lincoln's Way About?
The story begins with Mr. Lincoln, a principal loved by almost all the students. But there's one student, Eugene Esterhouse, also known as "Mean Gene." Eugene often bothers other kids on the playground and says hurtful things.
Mr. Lincoln invites Eugene to his office. Instead of scolding him, Mr. Lincoln gives Eugene a book about different kinds of birds. Eugene shares that his grandpa taught him a lot about birds when he lived on his grandpa's farm.
How Birds Help Eugene Change
Mr. Lincoln decides to build a bird atrium at the school. An atrium is like a special indoor garden where birds can live. This project helps Eugene start to change his behavior. The atrium attracts many different birds, and Eugene is fascinated by them all. He carries the bird book everywhere and slowly starts to be nicer to his classmates.
A few days later, a teacher tells Mr. Lincoln that Eugene made unkind comments to two students. Mr. Lincoln talks to Eugene again. He learns that Eugene's dad was upset because Eugene was spending time with Mr. Lincoln, who is African American. Mr. Lincoln then shows Eugene how he cares for all the birds the same, no matter their color. Eugene promises to stop using hurtful comments.
The Ducks' Journey to Safety
Later, the mallard duck eggs in the atrium begin to hatch! Mallard ducks need to live near a pond or river. So, Mr. Lincoln and Eugene make a plan to help the ducklings get to the river safely. They carefully lead the ducks through the school.
After the ducks reach the water, Eugene hears his name. His grandpa has come to see the ducks! Eugene asks his grandpa if he can live with him again. His grandpa replies, "We'll see, son. We'll sure see." This ending suggests a hopeful future for Eugene.
Meet the Characters
Mr. Lincoln
Mr. Lincoln is the kind principal of the elementary school. He is African American and is admired by most students. He helps Eugene learn about birds and teaches him important lessons about kindness and respect.
Eugene "Mean Gene" Esterhouse
Eugene is a student who used to bother other kids and say unkind things. He learns to love birds after spending time with Mr. Lincoln and his grandpa. This new interest helps him become a better person.
Grampa
Eugene's grandpa is a special person to him. He was the one who first taught Eugene about birds. Eugene loves his grandpa and hopes to live with him again.
Eugene's Dad
Eugene's dad becomes upset when Eugene spends time with Mr. Lincoln. He holds intolerant views and uses unkind words about people who are different from him.
Inspiration for the Story
Patricia Polacco often uses real places she visits as inspiration for her books. The elementary school in Mr. Lincoln’s Way is based on Murphy Elementary School in Haslett, Michigan. This school is known for having mallard duck nests. Every year, the principal there helps lead the ducklings safely through the school to a nearby pond, just like in the book!
