I liked the approach of comparing the brothers. Rarely do you read about the Booth Family and their reaction to Wilkes Booth's actions. It was interesting to get to know John Wilkes in the context of his family and his famous brother.

After trying, and failing miserably, to read a fictionalized novel on Booth, I thought I would try a biography. Maybe it is just Booth that is on the boring side, lol. I am not going to pursue reading this further. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

This is a book that I would consider a high-interest nonfiction book that many of my students would enjoy. The cover would grab their attention and the contents would keep their attention. This book gives you a different look at a story that many of my students already know. This fresh take on the familiar will draw them to select this book. This book is full of interesting details that you can't easily find in other books that are available for students this age. Many of my students will be selecting this book for their non-fiction literature circles.

Everyone knows the name John Wilkes Booth in connection with the assassination of President Lincoln. However, at the time of the assassination, his brother, Edwin Booth, was actually the more famous of the two. Even their father, Junius Brutus Booth, was better known than John Wilkes Booth prior to the Lincoln assassination.

This non-fiction book recounts in an engaging fashion the events surrounding John Wilkes Booth's involvement in the death of President Lincoln. It also provides information about the Booth family in contrast to the beliefs and actions of John Wilkes Booth.

Similar to Chasing Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson.

I reviewed an electronic ARC on NetGalley courtesy of the publisher.

This is a case of a book I would purchase if my budget could stretch that little bit further. Non-fiction is not used and does not circulate, even with teachers, unless it is directly linked to curriculum and even then my junior high teachers are looking for novel study material. Having said that, this is a book I would love to have on my shelves because of the subject and the writing that makes it a stand out.

The Booth Brothers by Rebecca Langston-George opens on April 26, 1865 when John Wilkes Booth was hiding inside a barn as a fugitive for shooting President Abraham Lincoln. The book jumps back to six years previously, describing the Booth family and the difference between the brothers. The assassination plan is described throughout its transformation, from the idea of killing four people to who was taking part in the plot. The killing of Abraham Lincoln tore the Booth family apart and even though John Wilkes Booth wanted to kill President Lincoln so he would be thought of as a hero by Southern believers, he died only a criminal. 5 stars for this informative nonfiction resource of Lincoln's death.
* I received a complimentary copy of this book for voluntary consideration.

It can be challenging to present a familiar event in a fresh and engaging way. Langston-George accomplishes this feat. Most of us know quite a bit about the assassination itself. What makes this book interesting is its focus on the rivalry between John and his brother, the ideological differences that separated them all their lives, and the long term affect on the lives of those that knew him, involved in the plot or not. And she does all of this while keeping the book quick and easy to read. A great choice for young middle-graders.

I loved this book! It's surprising, engaging and informative, and all at an accessible reading level..
Please write more nonfiction like this for my classroom!

On Goodreads:
Wow! I love this story! I had no idea how interesting the Booth Brothers story is. The book also offered me so much great information about the plot, first to kidnap but then to assassinate, Abraham Lincoln. Pretty wild!

The Booth Brothers: Drama, Fame, and the Death of President Lincoln
by Rebecca Langston-George is a children's books on stores this Sept 1 by Capstone.
Every time I read the story of John Wilkes Booth is a strong experience. That man had everything. He was a very famous and affirmed actor, everyone portrayed him as a wonderful human being, a very talented actor...It's shocking to think that he did what he did.
He had his own life, he had money, success, women, fame, talent, everything and he destroyed his name and the name of his family, a family of actors, starting from Brutus, his dad, for an insane, horrible, stupid, silly, insane gesture.
Killing President Abraham Lincoln has been a devastation. Although the President could be criticized by the Southerners people, and also if a dramatic War of the Secession took place for several years leaving the South in profound sufferance, no one wanted an end like this one.
President Lincoln was loved because of his simplicity. He lived a real life. He spent a life of sacrifices, with important departures. He was a compassionate man.

He thought that all men should be set free and should have the dignity of building their own existence. No one should be put behind because of the color of his skin and for these positions, he was criticized.

Unfortunately the story of the Booth brothers maybe signed also by the geographical area where they lived and worked in. Considering the big success of the Booth Brothers, Edwin, John and the other sibling, worked in different areas. Edwin in Boston where there has always been a wind of freedom, another brother in California, and John in the South of the USA. John has always considered himself like a Southerner but surely to live there and being influenced by the ideas of the people of that places didn't help at all a fertile imagination.

He would have wanted to kidnap the President, he wanted to do this world and the other to the President.

He killed him once in theater, in 1865 while the President was attending a performance at the Ford’s Theater. And he was killed as well like also the other conspirators.

The book is not just beauty, there are many pictures of that time with the various protagonists, President Lincoln, his killer and a great historical reconstruction. I am sure every child will like to read this book so badly.


I thanks NetGalley and Capstone for this eBook.

The Booth Brothers: Drama, Fame, and the Death of President Lincoln by Rebecca Langston-George is a book I was lucky enough to be allowed to read from NetGalley and the book's publishers. It is an astounding read! It flows so well and gives the reader all the gossip of the time so we know all the scoop. All the players, who knows who, who was where and when, what was happening and when, little minor things that were little known, and so much more is explained in here. I was entranced! Of course I know the story but this added so much more and added things to it I didn't know and I have read about it a dozen or more times. This is not really solely on the death of Lincoln but more on the brothers Booth. Their differences, the way they grew up, what happened after the shooting, and all the way to death...that that was a shock with Edwin's death and what was happening at the same time, wow! I loved this book. Lots of great pictures and make sure you check out the pics at the end of the book of John's possessions. Wonderful book!

This is a fascinating read for middle school and up. Langston-George highlight the two Booth brothers and the different paths their lives took. One felt he was a Northerner, Edwin Booth, and the other, John Wilkes Booth, felt he was a Southerner.

Why two brothers would have such different points of view is never really discussed. In part, it may have to do with how they were raised. Their father, Junius Brutus Booth, was a famous actor, known for his Shakespeare, who was also prone to drink.

John may have been resentful of his older brother, Edwin. Junius allowed Edwin to tour the country with him but refused to allow John to do the same.

Langston-George gives a clear, succinct summary of the events that led to the shooting and its aftermath. She related little known information, like the strange event that occurred when Edwin Booth died.

This is a historical tale full of ironies.

Pictures of conspirators and pictures of the personal belongings of Booth at the end provide context.

Of course, you know the basic storyline and the outcome, but I had never read the narrative in such detail. This is aimed at the middle school audience and hits the mark perfectly. I loved that it didn't read like a textbook, but more like a fictional story. The author builds the characters in such a way that you can see the how's and why's for their choices and terrible acts. The country was so divided at that time, and you get the sense that everyone thought the other side was crazy. It actually reminds me of the mood in the US right now. I would hope that by studying history, we can avoid repeating mistakes of the past.

Wow. When we get to the Civil War section of American history, we are reading this book for sure. Of course, you know the basic storyline and the outcome, but I had never read the narrative in such detail. This is aimed at the middle school audience and hits the mark perfectly. I loved that it didn't read like a textbook, but more like a fictional story. The author builds the characters in such a way that you can see the how's and why's for their choices and terrible acts. The country was so divided at that time, and you get the sense that everyone thought the other side was crazy. It actually reminds me of the mood in the US right now. I would hope that by studying history, we can avoid repeating mistakes of the past.

This book contains a complete timeline, glossary, internet links, book suggestions and photographs of all the conspirators in the back.

I read a DRC of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. This is another yes from yes.

This book investigated the relationship between the 3 Booth brothers - Julius, Edwin, and John and the events leading up to and beyond the Lincoln assassination. I thought it was interesting because we don't often hear about the 2 other brothers and how they reacted to the events. The book was well done without being too long. I think for a younger students just getting interested in the topic it would be a good entry level book.

Publishers chose not to provide Kindle format. No stars, do not recommend.