(2) K-3 Born into slavery, Elizabeth Keckly (sometimes spelled Keckley) followed in her mother's footsteps as a seamstress and dressmaker, eventually earning the twelve hundred dollars she needed to buy her and her son's freedom. One the eve of the Civil War she moved from St. Louis to Washington, where her work caught the attention of the wives of leaders on both sides of the growing conflict--Varina Davis, wife of Jefferson Davis; Mary Anna Custis Lee, wife of Robert E. Lee; and Mary Todd Lincoln. When Keckly's party dress for Mrs. Lincoln was a success, she was commissioned to make at least fifteen more over the next couple of years. Schofield-Morrison's (I Got the Christmas Spirit, rev. 11/18) text effectively combines a third-person narrative with italicized, unflinching first-person quotations drawn from Keckly's memoir, Behind the Scenes, or, Thirty Years a Slave, and Four Years in the White House. The refrain "stitch by stitch" runs throughout the text, a thread complemented by Zunon's (I Am Farmer, rev. 1/19; Off to See the Sea, rev. 1/21) illustrations using a variety of media, including fabric, lace, ribbon, and appliqué. A handsome introduction to a remarkable woman and her craft. An author's note and a bibliography are appended.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2021

(4) 4-6 Women Who Broke the Rules series. Illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley. Lincoln and King, often historically secondary to their more-famous husbands, take the lead in these biographies. Accompanied by cartoony illustrations, these portrayals waver unevenly between illuminating (King had "obey" removed from her wedding vows) and unflattering ("Mary was always nagging...and bragging") as they candidly address controversies surrounding the influential women. Reading list, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers the following Women Who Broke the Rules titles Coretta Scott King and Mary Todd Lincoln.

Reviewer: Andrea Curtis

(1) 4-6 This book is chock-full of reproductions of primary sources, both textual and visual, and an abundance of interesting anecdotes. It's equally inviting for reference, browsing, or pleasure reading. Moreover, by giving Mary's story equal weight, Fleming gives us not only greater insight into each of them but also a fuller picture of their world. Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2008

(3) 4-6 Based largely on Elizabeth Keckley's autobiography, Jones's account of the former slave's friendship with Mary Todd Lincoln begins with the pair's introduction on Inauguration Day in 1861. Jones then backtracks, tracing each woman's life up to that point in time, in alternating chapters. The book's second half describes their friendship--and its dissolution. Primary-source quotes and black-and-white illustrations are well chosen. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) 4-6 The shifting first-person narrative separately treats the childhoods of Mary Todd Lincoln and her dressmaker, Keckley, a former slave. Though much is known about Lincoln, Keckley's story is mostly conjecture, and while both women are intriguing characters in American history, this novel's lack of focus will leave readers confused about fact versus fiction. A prologue, epilogue, and author's note are included.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(3) YA Historical American Biographies series. These books present informative looks at eight American figures. For the most part, the authors dispell myths and discuss each subject's flaws as well as strengths--Billy the Kid and Mary Todd Lincoln are most successful at this, Custer is less well rounded. Black-and-white archival photos, illustrations, maps, and sidebars help to establish time and place. A chronology is included in each book. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman