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ABOUT THE BOOK
NO SPOILERSThe Superlative A. Lincoln is a collection of 19 poems about Abraham Lincoln, each titled with a superlative that celebrates one remarkable thing about him. The poems follow Lincoln from his rough frontier boyhood through his presidency, covering his relentless self-education, his years as a farmhand and lumberjack, his time as a soldier and lawyer, and his leadership during the Civil War. Each poem is paired with a prose note packed with real historical details. The playful superlative framing, "Most Studious," "Best Lumberjack," "Greatest Speech," makes Lincoln's extraordinary life feel fresh and fun to discover.
Free Battle of the Books questions for The Superlative A. Lincoln: Poems About Our 16th President
SPOILERSEvery one of these has the same answer, and that is the point. In a real battle the question is read aloud with a dozen other books in play, and students have a few seconds to place it. Here is what a battle might ask about The Superlative A. Lincoln: Poems About Our 16th President. Use them as a quiz, a trivia round, or BOTB practice.
Where in the book they come from
- Early in the book
In what book do two businessmen toss a teenager two silver half-dollars after he rows them out to their steamboat?
✓ Answer
The Superlative A. Lincoln: Poems About Our 16th President by Eileen R. Meyer
The Biggest Dreamer poem retells the famous ferry ride where two businessmen tossed a teen two silver half-dollars after he rowed them out to catch a steamboat. The unexpected pay changed his sense of what was possible.
- First half
In what book does a champion wrestler extend a hand to help his beaten opponent back up?
✓ Answer
The Superlative A. Lincoln: Poems About Our 16th President by Eileen R. Meyer
The Best Wrestler poem and its note describe the young champ as a good sport who reached down to help opponents stand after winning. It shows his sense of fair play.
- First half
In what book does Walt Whitman call a leader's storytelling "a weapon which he employ'd with great skill"?
✓ Answer
The Superlative A. Lincoln: Poems About Our 16th President by Eileen R. Meyer
The Best Yarn-Spinner prose note quotes Walt Whitman calling the leader's storytelling a weapon used with great skill. He used yarns to calm opponents or drive home a point.
- Second half
In what book do boys keep a menagerie of cats, rabbits, goats, ponies, and a turkey at the White House?
✓ Answer
The Superlative A. Lincoln: Poems About Our 16th President by Eileen R. Meyer
The Most Permissive Parent note lists the wild collection of pets that Willie and Tad gathered while their family lived in the executive mansion.
- Second half
In what book does a famous abolitionist make a surprise visit to the White House on August 10, 1863?
✓ Answer
The Superlative A. Lincoln: Poems About Our 16th President by Eileen R. Meyer
The note for Most Surprising Friendship recounts how Frederick Douglass showed up unannounced and the president welcomed him for a private talk.
- Near the end
In what book do verses note that a great speech "wasn't what folks came to hear"?
✓ Answer
The Superlative A. Lincoln: Poems About Our 16th President by Eileen R. Meyer
The Greatest Speech poem ends on the surprising note that the now famous address was not the main attraction at the cemetery dedication.
