Nonfiction Monday: The President Has Been Shot by James L. Swanson

Nonfiction Monday is a weekly meme in the Kidlitosphere that invites bloggers to read and review a nonfiction book on Monday as a way to promote high-quality nonfiction titles.  For a roundup of all the posts, visit the Nonfiction Monday blog!

"The President Has Been Shot!": The Assassination of John F. Kennedy by James L. Swanson

From the author of the riveting nonfiction narrative Chasing Lincoln's Killer* comes another true tale of murder and suspense.

A helpful consolidation of Kennedy’s presidency with highlights of the major issues of the time provides just enough background information to set the stage.  A snapshot of the Kennedy family’s rags to riches story and a glimpse into the troubled and somewhat bizarre life of assassin Lee Harvey Oswald puts the actors in position.  A detailed account of the days leading up to November 22, 1963 and a fairly extensive description of the assassination and aftermath takes center stage and a brief nod to conspiracy and cover-up drops the curtain on this tragic event.  Swanson’s account includes tons of photos, video stills, and diagrams that give the young reader a chance to travel back to Dallas, TX in November of 1963 and experience one of the most shocking and terrifying events in our nation’s history.

History buffs, budding conspiracy theorists and reluctant readers alike will be drawn to this title.  It's a great choice for middle school readers, but it can't hurt to hand this one to teens 14+ either.  A few of our 8th graders are researching the assassination for their term papers, and they've found this title to be quite a great source of information.

The President Has Been Shot was a finalist for the 2014 YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award.

* Which also happens to be our 6th grade spring book club selection!

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