Kennedy's Last Days

Gr 9 Up—President John F. Kennedy's assassination shocked and saddened the entire nation and the world. Political journalist Bill O'Reilly explores the events in both Kennedy and his assassin Lee Harvey Oswald's lives in the years leading up to that fateful day. This juvenile version (2013) of his adult title, Killing Kennedy (2012, both Holt), is told in an alternating time line that follows both men's lives in the years preceding the devastating event in Dallas. By juxtaposing the lives of both men, O'Reilly compares and contrasts their backgrounds and beliefs. While O'Reilly's admiration of Kennedy is apparent, this slight bias is well balanced with many facts that will lead listeners to develop a more well-rounded view of the 35th president. Kennedy's lack of interest in politics while growing up, the injuries he incurred while serving in the military during World War II, and the choices he made during the Cold War and Vietnam War are all detailed in an easy-to-understand manner. Narrator Edward Herrmann does a wonderful job of pacing through the audiobook, presenting the facts as if telling a story. Combined with the relative short length of the book, Herrmann's narration makes this an excellent choice for introducing young learners to Kennedy's assassination.—Jessica Miller, West Springfield Public Library, MA