Module 11- How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous

Summary
This informational book describes in vivid, often gruesome, detail how 19 different historical figures died.  Accompanied by quirky, comic illustrations, How They Croaked puts a light-hearted twist on a taboo topic.

Bragg, G., & Malley, K. (2011). How they croaked: The awful ends of the awfully famous. New York: Walker & Co.

My impressions
I was not expecting to like this book, but in the end I looked forward to reading it each night!  The comic tone in which it is written kept it from being overly depressing or textbook-like.  It presented information in a fun way, and I could see many middle school-aged students enjoying it.

Reviews

Danner, B. (2011). How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous. School Library Journal, 57(4), 189-190.

Gr 5-9--King Tut died of malaria; Edgar Allan Poe is suspected to have had rabies. Beethoven and Galileo both met their ends due to lead poisoning. Fifteen other historical figures, including world leaders, writers, and scientists, were felled by things as mundane as pneumonia and as unpredictable as angry mobs. Each entry provides the circumstances of the person's death and gives context to those circumstances, from discussions of the political climate to medical practices of the time. Chapters are separated by a spread of brief facts related to the individual, the demise, or the era. Lively, full-page caricatures set in decorative frames appear throughout, along with spot illustrations. Back matter includes a lengthy list of sources. The sometimes-snarky writing gives the material a casual, conversational tone that will appeal to many readers. The title alone provides an easy booktalk; expect this one to be passed around and pored over.

HOW THEY CROAKED The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous. (2011). Kirkus Reviews, 79(3), 201.
 The most reluctant of readers will find it difficult to resist this consistently disgusting chronicle of the gruesome deaths of 19 will famous people. Bragg opens with King Tut, discussing in gory details the embalming and mummification processes of the ancient Egyptians. Among the many macabre details is an explanation for why mummy eye sockets look empty: "Eyeballs shrink to almost nothing during the drying process" (the author notes that if mummy eyeballs are rehydrated, they return to almost normal size). Among the other famous figures profiled are Henry VIII, whose corpse exploded in its coffin while lying in state; George Washington, who was drained of 80 ounces of his blood by doctors before dying; and Marie Curie, who did herself in with constant radiation exposure. The accounts of how ill or injured people were treated by doctors through the 19th century reveal that medical practices were usually more lethal than the maladies. Between each chapter, there is a page or two of related and gleefully gross facts. Bragg's informal, conversational style and O'Malley's cartoon illustrations complement the flippant approach to the subject; the energetically icky design includes little skulls and crossbones to contain page numbers. Engaging, informative and downright disgusting.  

Suggestion for library use
After reading this book, students could choose a historical figure whose death they would like to research.  After gathering the information, they could write a report in a style similar to this book, which would give them practice with different writing styles.