# Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln - Hardcover

by **Margarita Engle** (Author), **Rafael López** (Illustrator)

**Winner of the Pura Belpr Illustrator Award**  
**A _Kirkus Reviews_ Best Picture Book**

**In soaring words and stunning illustrations, Margarita Engle and Rafael L pez tell the story of Teresa Carre o, a child prodigy who played piano for Abraham Lincoln.**

As a little girl, Teresa Carre o loved to let her hands dance across the beautiful keys of the piano. If she felt sad, music cheered her up, and when she was happy, the piano helped her share that joy. Soon she was writing her own songs and performing in grand cathedrals. Then a revolution in Venezuela forced her family to flee to the United States. Teresa felt lonely in this unfamiliar place, where few of the people she met spoke Spanish. Worst of all, there was fighting in her new home, too--the Civil War.

Still, Teresa kept playing, and soon she grew famous as the talented Piano Girl who could play anything from a folk song to a sonata. So famous, in fact, that President Abraham Lincoln wanted her to play at the White House Yet with the country torn apart by war, could Teresa's music bring comfort to those who needed it most?

### Author Biography

Margarita Engle is the Cuban American author of many books including the verse novels _Rima's Rebellion_; _Your Heart, My Sky_; _With a Star in My Hand_; _The Surrender Tree_, a Newbery Honor winner; and _The Lightning Dreamer_. Her verse memoirs include _Soaring Earth_ and _Enchanted Air_, which received the Pura Belpré Award, a Walter Dean Myers Award Honor, and was a finalist for the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction, among others. Her picture books include _Drum Dream Girl_, _Dancing Hands_, and _The Flying Girl_. Visit her at MargaritaEngle.com.

Rafael López was born and raised in Mexico, a place that has always influenced the vivid colors and shapes in his artwork. He now creates community-based mural projects around the world and illustrates acclaimed children's books including _The Day You Begin_, _Bravo!_, _Drum Dream Girl_, _We've Got the Whole World in Our Hands_, _Book Fiesta!_, and _Dancing Hands_. Rafael divides his time between Mexico and California. Visit him at RafaelLopez.com.

**Number of Pages:** 40

**Dimensions:** 0.4 x 10.6 x 8.9 IN

**Illustrated:** Yes

**Publication Date:** August 27, 2019

**Award:** Pura Belpre Award (2020)

**Accelerated Reader:**

**Quiz Name:** Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreno Played the Piano for President Lincoln

**Interest Level:** Lower Grades, K-3

**Reading Level:** 5.5

**Point Value:** 0.5

## Details

- **Price:** 18.99 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 18.99 USD | In stock |

## Images

- Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln - Hardcover

---

> Source: [Smart supply deals](https://smartsupplydeals.com/products/dancing-hands-how-teresa-carreno-played-the-piano-for-president-lincoln-hardcover)
> Updated: 2026-07-23