How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous by Georgia Bragg

Bibliographical citation: Bragg, Georgia.  Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley. (2011).  How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous. New York: Walker & Co.  184 pages.  ISBN: 9780802798176

Awards: YALSA 2012 Nonfiction Award Nomination, ALA Notable Children's Books (2012), IRA Children's Book Award (2012).

Author's website: http://georgiabragg.com/

Annotation:  Aimed towards tween and teen readers, this book clears up many of the legends surrounding the deaths of famous people throughout history, instead providing real and more accurate medical diagnoses along with reasons for illness and subsequent death.

Personal Reaction: This title was quite interesting and definitely a good choice for those who do NOT have weak stomachs. (The Introduction has a warning that states: If you don’t have the guts for gore, do not read this book.) The book works to dispel many of the myths about the deaths of famous people in history while supplying more likely reasons and/or a diagnosis where appropriate. This book contains quite a bit about the medical methods of earlier times which will lead you to believe (rightly so!) that you are lucky to have access to modern medicine. The author's use of layman's terms in describing these illnesses as well as the cartoon illustrations scattered throughout the book help to give straightforward explanations and somewhat lighten the subject of death.  The illustrations supply a visual image that accompanies the explanation of death, clarifying medical procedures and historical facts.  A tombstone on the front page of each chapter provides the profession of each individual, as well as the dates and places of both birth and death.  Also provided are random facts that may or may not have to do with the individual being discussed in each chapter.  For example, the chapter on George Washington also provides the unrelated information, "Presidential Death Facts" and "Faces on American Money." The chapter also offers "dos & don'ts of  bloodletting" which does directly apply to the information gathered regarding Washington's death.  Overall, this title is sure to capture and keep the attention of the tween/teen audience it is intended for with its witty humor, sarcastic narration and just plain gross facts.

Front/Back Matter: Table of Contents, Introduction, Connections, Acknowledgements, Source Notes, Further Reading and Surfing, Index.

 *Bibliographical citation information, award information, as well as image retrieved from www.bwibooks.com (Titletales)