In 1820, when young Sam Harding met a tall boy named Abe, a strong friendship grew from their shared love of learning and the outdoors. At the time, Harding didn’t expect that his friend would one day grow into the man that would be considered the greatest president of all time.
This is the premise of Robert Bloch’s new fictional picture book, “My Best Friend, Abe Lincoln: A Tale of Two Boys From Indiana.” The tale covers an early portion of Abraham Lincoln’s life, and imagines a character-building friendship between the future commander-in-chief and a humble farm boy.
Though Bloch created the story, he says he was drawn to the idea from real life events. Lincoln did live in southwestern Indiana at this time, the location of the story, and as in the story did attend a “blab school,” where a dozen children age 6 to 12 would blab out loud and repeat their lesson over and over again.
“I wanted children to become familiar with Lincoln, and this seemed like a great way to do it,” Bloch said. “I had never thought about writing a book before. But I have always been interested in history, and Lincoln’s life has always been fascinating.”
Bloch created several adventures for Lincoln and Harding to share. Through these adventures and the lively illustrations that accompany them, Bloch hoped to draw kids to this influential figure.
“What is inspiring is that Lincoln was such a great role model,” Bloch said. “Kids at an early age can absolutely learn a lot from his example.”
In addition to his passion for history, Bloch was also inspired by a family connection with Lincoln. Bloch’s great-great grandfather was a distinguished abolitionist who knew Lincoln and was part of a group that brought him to Leavenworth, Kan., where he delivered his first presidential campaign speech.
In addition to children, Bloch believes everyone can learn something from the 16th president.
“His sense of humor was also very noteworthy,” Bloch said. “He always had a sense of humor about everything. Even in the face of adversary, he could make a joke and keep a positive attitude. That is something we all could stand to do a little more.
“He was a great storyteller,” Bloch continued. “He used stories to keep things in perspective and to reach people.”
As the current political landscape heats up, and a new Republican candidate will try and follow in Lincoln’s footsteps, Bloch believes they too could learn from history.
“He always learned from his mistakes, and didn’t mind going through trial and error,” Bloch said. “And he wasn’t afraid to ask the advice of people who disagreed with him.
“I think you can draw comparisons with today,” Bloch said. “Lincoln is like President Obama in that they both started off poor and rose up to have the most important job in the world. And they both made history to do it.”
Bloch’s book is being sold in several local locations around the metro, while supplies last. The book can be found in the Wornall House as well as the Nelson Atkins Museum. Bloch said the easiest way to purchase the book is through Amazon. For more information on the book, visit www.mybestfriendabelincoln.com.
Illustrations for the book were crafted by former Walt Disney Studios animation artist John Ewing. Ewing has worked on many Disney films including Winnie the Pooh and Jungle Book. Resembling an animated movie, Bloch said the pictures just leap off the page. His first reaction to them exceeded his expectations.
“When I first saw it I thought it was perfect,” Bloch said. “I thought the illustrations were very warm and intimate, with an old fashion feel that really fit with the subject matter. They (the illustrations) were impressive. I am very proud of the book.”
Bloch attended both Menlo College in Menlo Park, Calif., and the University of Missouri–Kansas City. He soon plans to join The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah. He has worked with the H&R Block Foundation since 1989, focusing on arts and culture grants and investments. He has enjoyed being able to combine his love of art with his love of history.
“So little is known of Lincoln’s life between 1820 and 1823 of Lincoln’s life,” Bloch said. “It has been fun using the things we do know, (his thirst for knowledge, his ability to stand up and talk in front of people, his family relationships,) to create a fun new story for children.”