Ambushed!: The Assassination Plot Against President Garfield [Hardcover]

Winner of the 2022 YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award

This thrilling title for young readers blends science, history, and medical mysteries to tell the story of the assassination and ultimately horrible death of President James Garfield.

James Abram Garfield, the 20th President of the United States, was assassinated when he was shot by Charles Guiteau in July 1881, less than four months after he was elected president. But Garfield didn't actually die until 80 days later. In this page-turner, award-winning author Gail Jarrow delves into the fascinating story of the relationship between Garfield and Guiteau, and relates the gruesome details of Garfield's slow and agonizing death. She reveals medical mistakes made in the aftermath of Garfield's assassination, including the faulty diagnoses and outdated treatments that led to the president's demise. This gripping blend of science, history, and mystery—the latest title in the Medical Fiascoes series—is nonfiction for kids at its best: exciting and relevant and packed with plenty of villains and horrifying facts.Winner of the 2022 YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award
Kirkus Reviews Best Book
2022 Grateful American Book Prize Honorable Mention
Texas Library Association Texas Topaz Nonfiction Reading List

★  The latest installment of Jarrow’s Medical Fiascoes series dissects the assassination of President James Garfield. With characteristic thoroughness, Jarrow tells the entire story, including details from Garfield’s children’s diaries and numerous other firsthand sources as well as many illustrations. The volume’s attractive design and clear, accessible text make it eminently readable. Garfield’s illness united the country, and his death led to civil service reform and l‹