About this item
A 2019 Robert F. Sibert Informational Honor Book * A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year * A BOOKLIST Editors' Choice * A Washington Post Best Children's Book * A BCCB Blue Ribbon * A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Books In this nonfiction title for young readers, acclaimed author Gail Jarrow explores in riveting detail the famous War of the Worlds radio broadcast from 1938, highlighting the artists behind the broadcast, the broadcast itself, the aftermath, and the repercussions of "fake news" today.On the night of October 30, 1938, thousands of Americans panicked when they believed that Martians had invaded Earth. What appeared to be breaking news about an alien invasion was in fact a radio drama based on H. G. Wells's War of the Worlds, performed by Orson Welles and his Mercury Theatre players. Some listeners became angry once they realized they had been tricked, and the reaction to the broadcast sparked a national discussion about fake news, propaganda, and the role of radio. In this compelling nonfiction chapter book, Gail Jarrow explores the production of the broadcast, the aftermath, and the concept of fake news in the media.
About the Author
Gail Jarrow is the author of nonfiction books and novels, including: BLOOD AND GERMS: The Civil War Battle Against Wounds and DiseaseTHE POISON EATERS: Fighting Danger and Fraud in Our Food and DrugsSPOOKED!: How a Radio Broadcast and The War of the Worlds Sparked the 1938 Invasion of AmericaBUBONIC PANIC: When Plague Invaded AmericaFATAL FEVER: Tracking Down Typhoid MaryRED MADNESS: How a Medical Mystery Changed What We Eat THE AMAZING HARRY KELLAR, Great American MagicianLINCOLN'S FLYING SPIES: Thaddeus Lowe and the Civil War Balloon Corps ROBERT H. JACKSON: New Deal Lawyer, Supreme Court Justice, Nuremberg ProsecutorTHE PRINTER'S TRIAL: The Case of John Peter Zenger and the Fight for a Free Press Her nonfiction books have earned the Sibert Honor Book Award; the Jefferson Cup; Best Books awards from the National Science Teachers Association, New York Public Library, Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, and Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books; YALSA Award Nomination for Excellence in Nonfiction; and Orbis Pictus Honor by the National Council of Teachers of English. Jarrow has received additional awards and recognition from the American Booksellers Association, American Library Association, Public Library Association, the Society of School Librarians International, Junior Library Guild, and Bank Street College of Education. A graduate of Duke University and Dartmouth College, Gail Jarrow lives in Ithaca, New York.
