The baby born in a modest log cabin at the heart of the American frontier. The young boy sporting a coonskin cap with a relentless work ethic and passion for learning. The humble country lawyer driven by a steadfast conviction that right makes might. These images represent a handful of popular portrayals of Abraham Lincoln in biographies written for children that have shaped our understanding of Lincoln as an exemplary role model and the quintessential American for readers of all ages.   

Honestly Abe: Juvenile Literature About the Life and Times of Abraham Lincoln invites visitors to explore the rich themes and historical trends within children’s biographies, drawn primarily from the Lincoln Club of Delaware Abraham Lincoln Collection in Special Collections. Through cover art, illustrations and narrative text spanning more than 150 years, the materials on view tell the tale of a mythic American figure whose life and values continue to inspire generations of leaders.