"The President has been Shot!" The Assassination of John F. Kennedy
By: James L. Swanson
Swanson, J. L. (2013). "The President has been shot": the assassination of John F. Kennedy. New York : Scholastic.
2014 Finalist for the YASLA Excellence in Nonfiction
Note: This award honors the best nonfiction book published for young adults.
Summary: James Swanson takes you back with detailed historical accuracy to the beginning of John F. Kenned's political career. You embark on a journey through the youngest president in history's election and inauguration; detailing how JFK dealt with the failed Bay of Pigs, Cuba Invasion, prevented a Russian Missile Attack, made landing on the moon possible, Nuclear test ban treaty, and his fight against communism and racial inequality. Swanson then switches back and forth between JFK and Lee Harvey Oswald (the man who shot JFK) actions the few days before the assassination and the days following. Swanson enlightens us with the numerous coincidences that lead to Oswald being able to carry out his assassination plan, such as Oswald taking a job at the book depository just a short time before the decision that the President would travel to Texas and follow a route that would take him past the book depository. There is no sugar coating to the gory details and spends time connecting us to Jackie Kennedy's emotional roller-coaster that left her scared for life. The novel is written with a sense of urgency and is depicted through Swanson's words and archival black and white photographs, diagrams, source notes, and a bibliography.
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