The Booth Brothers: Drama, Fame, and the Death of President Lincoln

For ages 9-12 years

Everyone knows the name of John Wilkes Booth, the notorious zealot who assassinated Abraham Lincoln. Nowmeet his brother... In his lifetime, John Wilkes Booth was an actor who was well known among fans of the theater—well known but less famous and less admired than his brother Edwin. In the 1860s, Edwin Booth ranked among the greatest and most-respected stars of the stage. He lived in New York and sympathized with the Union cause, while his younger brother stomped the streets of Washington, D.C., and raged as the Civil War turned in favor of the North. John fantasized about kidnapping the president, but after the defeat of the Confederacy, he sought deadly vengeance. The night Lincoln attended a performance at Ford’s Theatre, Edwin was far away, knowing nothing of the plot unfolding in the nation’s capital. A gripping, real-life tale of two brothers, both seeking fame—but only one finding infamy.

Rebecca Langston-George — Bakersfield, California

Rebecca Langston-George is a middle school language arts teacher who also trains teachers in writing instruction. Her articles, poetry and puzzles have appeared in many children’s magazines. When she’s not at the keyboard Rebecca volunteers for the local chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). She is also a past president of the Kern Reading Association. The granddaughter of a fabulous flapper, Rebecca lives in Bakersfield, California.