Author/illustrator Don Brown, the creator of many works of picture-book biography and history, turns to the subject of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in this entry in the Actual Times series, which highlights momentous days in American history. On April 14, 1865, just days after the main body of the Confederate Army had surrendered, the president was attending a play at Ford's Theater, in Washington, DC. Here, actor and Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth, who had long plotted to kidnap the president, and other government officials, shot Lincoln in the back of the head, as he watched the play. What followed was the death of Lincoln, and his mourning by the nation, and the flight of Booth, who was eventually found, after one of the largest manhunts in the nation's history...

He Has Shot the President!: April 14, 1865: The Day John Wilkes Booth Killed President Lincoln is the fourth title I have read from the Actual Times series, following upon America Is Under Attack: September 11, 2001: The Day the Towers Fell, Let It Begin Here!: April 19, 1775: The Day the American Revolution Began and Gold! Gold from the American River!: January 24, 1848: The Day the Gold Rush Began. Having found each of these other three excellent, I expected no less of this title. Unfortunately, although I do think Brown does a good job capturing the horror of that day, and its aftermath, I was less impressed with how he addressed the fallout from the assassination of Lincoln. The purpose of the Actual Times series, as I understand it, is to explore the stories of days which changed the course of American history. Part of that is describing what happened on that day, but part is to make clear what widespread changes occurred as a result of it. In the Gold Rush title, for instance, the discovery of gold set off a massive migration that changed the face of North America. Although I have not studied the subject in detail, it was my impression that the killing of Lincoln altered the path of Reconstruction, after the end of the Civil War, setting it on a far more harsh and destructive path than it might have taken, given the North's rage at the murder of a beloved leader. This had consequences, both in terms of the relations between the regions, and between the races, that were still being felt one hundred years later. I was therefore astonished to see, that although Brown did discuss the immediate aftermath of the assassination, and what happened to the conspirators, he did not devote a word to the long-term effect of Lincoln's murder on the course of the nation's history. This was a real missed opportunity, and I am at something of a loss to understand it, given the purpose of Brown's series.

I would still recommend this one, as a good middle-grade book about the assassination of Lincoln and its immediate aftermath, but it does fail to live up to the promise/premise of the series, and I rated it one star less than the three titles mentioned above. ( )

Another excellent edition to Don Brown's Actual Times series. ( )

Lincoln is shot by a well known actor, John Wilkes Booth. This story goes beyond the actual assassination and the reader learns about the kidnapping gang, and the goose chase the police went through to find the killer. It shows a different perspective and I learned a lot i did not know already. This book would be great when teaching about Lincoln and this unfortunate event. ( )

This was an amazing book! It focuses on the assassination of the president. The books goes into detail on the events that led up to the murder of President Lincoln. I learned for the first time that John Wilkes Booth did not act alone. The book describes everyone who was involved. The illustrations are amazing. The way the author wrote the book, makes you feel like you were living through all this. I would use this in a social studies class when teaching about the Civil War or abolition. Recommended for grades 3-6 ( )

This non-fiction book is not a normal book about the assassination of President Lincoln. It is based upon the person who killed President Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth. It was a very interesting book to read and I would highly recommend it to any reader who enjoys reading and learning about history. I learned many things from reading this book. I did not know that John Wilkes Booth was not working alone when he planned to kill the President. I also learned that other government officials were shot the same day the President Lincoln was killed.
The author wrote this book in a language that young readers would be able to understand and read alone. The illustrator, who is also the author, drew beautiful pictures that were so realistic. This would be a great book to read to students when discussing former Presidents. ( )