Spooked! How a Radio Broadcast and The War of the Worlds Sparked the 1938 Invasion of America cover

Spooked! How a Radio Broadcast and The War of the Worlds Sparked the 1938 Invasion of America

Author: Jarrow, Gail

Reading Metrics

Grade Level Middle Grades (MG 4-8)
Book Level 7.2
Points 4.0
Fiction/Nonfiction Nonfiction
Word Count 24091
Points per Word 0.000166
Page Count 117
Points per Page 0.034188

Description

This book explores The War of the Worlds radio broadcast from 1938 and looks at the artists behind the broadcast, the broadcast itself, the aftermath, and the repercussions of "fake news" today.

Quick Summary

This nonfiction book examines the famous 1938 radio broadcast of "The War of the Worlds" by Orson Welles and the panic it caused across America, exploring how a Halloween Eve broadcast terrified thousands of listeners who believed Earth was actually being invaded by Martians. The book covers the artists behind the broadcast, the broadcast itself, the aftermath, and draws parallels to the repercussions of "fake news" in today's digital age. If your kid likes "The Great Race" or books about historical moments that changed media, they'll be fascinated by this detailed account of how one radio show shook the nation. This book is ideal for 4th through 8th graders who enjoy history and media studies, with an AR Level of 7.2 making it accessible to strong readers in middle grades.