Friday's Featured: Chasing Lincoln's Killer

When I start looking for books, I use many different resources.  Amazon is great for book recommendations based on my purchases.  I found a really helpful resource through Facebook called We Are Teachers Reading based off of We Are Teachers.  They not only do book reviews and suggestions but they talk about all sorts of topics related to teaching reading.

I particularly like blogs by librarians.  They know books!  Being a member of the International Literacy Association also helps.  They have a conference every year.  My dream is to one day attend, but sadly, my school corporation won't approve out of state travel.  I found today's book browsing the bookstacks of Barnes and Noble.

Today's book is Chasing Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson.

Image credit: Scholastic

A Personal Connection
Everyone knows, or at least is familiar with the story of Abraham Lincoln's assassination.  John Wilkes Booth committed the crime and was later shot.  Others were involved in plotting the assassination, though.  Other government officials were almost assassinated as well.

I vividly remember reading a book in grade school that was not about the assassination, but it made me interested in Lincoln's death.  The book was The World's Most Famous Ghosts by Daniel Cohen.  Lincoln's ghost train was one of the chapters.  That book increased my interest in not only Lincoln's assassination, but the Civil War as well.

When I saw Swanson's book, I picked it up and leafed through it.  The book captured me right away.  It was filled with pictures and original source material that really added depth to the story.  I thought I knew what happened those days in April of 1865, but I didn't.

The Author
James L. Swanson wrote Chasing Lincoln's Killer  in 2009.  He earned a degree in history from the University of Chicago and writes adult nonfiction in addition to young adult nonfiction.  His book Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer is the basis for Chasing Lincoln's Killer.

The Story
The tale is not new, but aspects of it are new.  Swanson follows John Wilkes Booth from the moment he decides to assassinate the president to his ending moments when he is killed, but that is not all.  Swanson also includes what happens to the other conspirators and almost victims.  The end of the book is like a "where are they now," describing what happened to the survivors.

My Thoughts
Swanson makes history fascinating.  His writing style is not dry.  I actually read this book in one sitting and learned a lot of facts I didn't already know about Lincoln's assassination and John Wilkes Booth.

What I like:
Superb writing
Primary sources and photographs
Heavily researched
Riveting readability

Recommended ages:
12 years and up (maybe 10 years if the student is passionate about history)