2/13/2009

The Lindbergh Child: The atrocious kidnapping and murder of the infant son of America’s hero Col. Charles A. Lindbergh by Rick Geary

One of several “crimes of the century,” the kidnapping of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s firstborn son on March 1, 1932, captivated the world and tugged at everyone’s heartstrings. Following the payment of a ransom, communication between the Lindbergh family’s go-between and the kidnappers ended. In May of that year, a sad discovery was made not far from the Lindbergh estate—the body of a child later identified as Charles, Jr. Police finally made an arrest more than a year later after carefully tracking ransom bills and linking the suspect, German immigrant Bruno Richard Hauptmann, with forensic evidence and corroborating witness identifications. The circus-like atmosphere of Hauptmann’s trial in Flemington, New Jersey ended in a guilty verdict and his eventual execution. Rick Geary’s graphic illustrations quickly give us background information on Lindbergh and his historic flight and then intimately acquaint us with the layout of the Lindbergh estate and the crime’s major characters. While definitely not for the reluctant reader, Geary’s graphic technique and unique viewpoint will fascinate readers with their own artistic inclinations or an interest in crime stories.
This book is part of a series called A Treasury of XXth Century Murder.

Recommended grade levels: 6-12

1 comment:

  1. I really enjoyed this title for the information that it shared. I was new to alot of the alternate theories the police tracked during the events. I was truly captivated during the whole read, even though I knew how it eventually turned out.

    I do think this will have lots of kid appeal but the format bothered me.
    The illustrations and text were often lost in the gutter, making it hard to follow.

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