O Captain, My Captain

Subtitled "Walt Whitman, Abraham Lincoln, and the Civil War," this iconographic-animated adaptation of author Robert Burleigh and illustrator Sterling Hundley’s 2019 picture book is narrated by Chris Lutkin, with David Bendena serving as the voice of Whitman. O Captain, My Captain uses oil paint smears and swirls to explore the drama of wartime through dramatic vignettes as the famed poet becomes caught up in the Union cause. Visiting makeshift hospitals and wounded soldiers, Whitman is deeply disturbed by what he sees and is inspired to write poetry, with President Lincoln serving as a particular muse. Although no record exists of the two men ever officially meeting, Whitman was in Washington, D.C., during the war. In imagined scenes, Lincoln is pictured as a giant emerging from a log cabin, Whitman stands in front of the White House at night pondering which light was Lincoln’s, and the poet constantly walks to a corner where he knew Lincoln’s carriage would pass by. While tending the dying, Whitman often reflected on Lincoln’s "grace under pressure" as the latter struggled to reunite the Union. Hundley’s art is striking, although some scenes could be disturbing for younger viewers (such as amputated limbs flowing down the screen). After Lincoln was assassinated, Whitman wrote the titular poem in honor of (and grief over) the slain president. Also featured are overviews of the two men’s lives, important dates during the Civil War, readings of the title poem and Whitman’s "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d," and notes from the author and the illustrator. Unfortunately, at 68 minutes, this somberly-narrated biographical profile with limited and somewhat repetitive animation is unlikely to hold the attention of the lower end of the target audience of "10 and up," although older kids might find Whitman’s all-embracing sense of inclusivity inspiring. A strong optional purchase. Aud: I, J, H, P. (J. Williams-Wood)