I am Abraham Lincoln

I am Abraham Lincoln BRAD MELTZER illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos.

I am Abraham Lincoln.

When I was little, even young boys were expected to work on the farm and hunt animals for food. ABE, YOU COMING? I'LL CATCH UP WITH YOU LATER. I preferred to read.

I also loved animals. When I was ten years old, I saw a group of boys playing with some turtles. THEY FOUND TURTLES? I LOVE TURTLES! LOOK! IT'S MAKING THE TURTLE RUN FAST! IT'S THE FASTEST TURTLE EVER! But as I got closer, I realized they weren't playing. They were taking hot coals and putting them on top of the turtles, to see what would happen. To them, it was harmless fun.

In that moment, I could have just walked away. When you're ten years old, it's hard to do the right thing. But someone has to, LET THIS TURTLE GO. WHAT DID YOU SAY? YOU HEARD ME. LET. IT. GO. Those boys let the turtle go.

Soon after, I wrote one of my first essays—about how hurting animals is wrong. That may not seem like a big deal, but back then, most kids—and even adults—didn't know how to write. In fact, the state of Indiana was so new, schools weren't even built yet. I went to school for barely a year. Total! But that didn't stop me. Using chalk, I practiced writing the alphabet on trees. I even wrote in the dirt of the cornfield. ABE, HOW'S THE CORN COMING? GREAT, DAD.