Gail Jarrow

Gail Jarrow (born November 29, 1952, in Dallas)^[1] is an American children's book author and teacher.

Jarrow was born November 29, 1952, in Dallas, Texas.^[1] She married Robert Jarrow in May 1974 and has three children: Kyle, Tate, and Heather.^[1]

Jarrow received a Bachelor of Arts from Duke University in 1974 and a Master of Arts from Dartmouth College in 1980.^[1]

Eight of Jarrow's books are Junior Library Guild selections: Lincoln’s Flying Spies (2011),^[2] Fatal Fever (2015),^[3] Bubonic Panic (2016),^[4] Spooked! (2019),^[5] The Poison Eaters (2019),^[6] Blood and Germs (2021),^[7] Ambushed! (2022), and American Murderer (2022).^[8]

In 2012, Bank Street College of Education included Lincoln’s Flying Spies on their list of the year's best history books for children ages 12–14.^[9]

In 2013, Bank Street College of Education included The Amazing Harry Kellar on their list of the year's best biographies for children ages 9–12.^[10]

In 2014, School Library Journal included Red Madness on their list of the year's best children's books.^[11] The Chicago Public Library included it on their "Best Informational Books for Older Readers of 2014" list.^[12] The following year, Bank Street College of Education included it on their list of the year's best science books for children ages 12–14.^[13]

In 2015, Booklist and The Bulletin^[14] named Fatal Fever one of the best young adult books of the year.^[3] The Bank Street College of Education included it on their list of the best STEM books for children ages 12–14, marking it an "Outstanding Title".^[15]

In 2016, Kirkus Reviews^[16] and the New York Public Library named Bubonic Panic one of the best children's/young adult books of the year.^[4] The Chicago Public Library included it on their "Best Informational Books for Older Readers of 2016" list.^[17] The following year, Bank Street College of Education included it on their list of the year's best STEM books for children ages 12–14.^[18]

In 2018, The Bulletin^[19] included Spooked! on their list of the best children's books of the year,^[5] and the Chicago Public Library included it on their "Best Informational Books for Older Readers of 2018" list.^[20] The following year, the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) named it a Notable Children's Book,^[5][21] and Booklist included it on their 2019 Editor's Choice: Books for Youth list.^[22] That year, Bank Street College of Education included it on their list of the best history books for children ages 12–14.^[23] In 2020, Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) included Spooked! on their Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers list.^[24]

In 2019, The Bulletin^[25] and Kirkus Reviews^[26] included The Poison Eaters on their lists of the best books of the year.^[6] The Chicago Public Library included it on their "Best Informational Books for Older Readers of 2019" list.^[27] The following year, ALSC named it a Notable Children's Book,^[28] and Bank Street College of Education named it one of the year's best STEM books for children ages 9–12.^[29]

In 2020, the Chicago Public Library included Blood and Germs on their annual "Best Informational Books for Older Readers" list.^[30]

In 2022, School Library Journal named Ambushed! one of the best children's books of the year.^[31]

The same year, the Chicago Public Library included American Murderer on their "Best Informational Books for Older Readers" list.^[32] The following year, ALSC named it a Notable Children's Book.^[33]

• Lincoln's Flying Spies: Thaddeus Lowe and the Civil War Balloon Corps (2010)
• The Amazing Harry Kellar: Great American Magician (2012)
• Fatal Fever: Tracking Down Typhoid Mary (2014)
• Red Madness: How a Medical Mystery Changed What We Eat (2014)
• Bubonic Panic: When Plague Invaded America (2016)
• Spooked!: How a Radio Broadcast and The War of the Worlds Sparked the 1938 Invasion of America (2018)
• The Poison Eaters (2019)
• Blood and Germs: The Civil War Battle Against Wounds and Disease (2020)
• Ambushed! The Assassination Plot Against President Garfield (2021)
• American Murderer (2022)

• In Conversation: Gail Jarrow and Carolyn Yoder (Publishers Weekly)