Reading Level: Grade 4 Interest Level: Grades 3 – 6
Encourage readers to become medical detectives with this high-interest series that explores strange ways people have died. Written with a sense of humor, these books discover what might have happened in these disastrous deaths and how to avoid letting it happen to you!
Those interested in the gruesome and morbid will find plenty to explore in this series. The table of contents is listed on a tombstone, and a collection of "weird" phrases about death like, "kicked the bucket" begins each book. Within the pages are incredible stories of those who have died by a tortoise falling on their head, tripping on their own beard, or equally odd events. Background on each figure and details about their era in history are included. Those details create an image of the world each character knew–whether Thames muckrakers or Greek theatergoers. Photos of locations, paintings, or statues of the deceased are included where possible. A glossary defining unusual words and a booklist for further reading are in the back matter. VERDICT: Perfect for fans of Georgia Bragg's How They Croaked; sections could also be used to introduce particular time periods in social studies classes.
