# Gail Jarrow

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

## Personal life and education

Jarrow was born November 29, 1952, in Dallas, Texas. She married Robert Jarrow in May 1974 and has three children: Kyle, Tate, and Heather.
Jarrow received a Bachelor of Arts from Duke University in 1974 and a Master of Arts from Dartmouth College in 1980.

## Awards and honors

Eight of Jarrow's books are Junior Library Guild selections: Lincoln’s Flying Spies (2011), Fatal Fever (2015), Bubonic Panic (2016), Spooked! (2019), The Poison Eaters (2019), Blood and Germs (2021), Ambushed! (2022), and American Murderer (2022).
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.
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.
In 2014, School Library Journal included Red Madness on their list of the year's best children's books. The Chicago Public Library included it on their "Best Informational Books for Older Readers of 2014" list. 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.
In 2015, Booklist and The Bulletin named Fatal Fever one of the best young adult books of the year. 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".
In 2016, Kirkus Reviews and the New York Public Library named Bubonic Panic one of the best children's/young adult books of the year. The Chicago Public Library included it on their "Best Informational Books for Older Readers of 2016" list. 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.
In 2018, The Bulletin included Spooked! on their list of the best children's books of the year, and the Chicago Public Library included it on their "Best Informational Books for Older Readers of 2018" list. The following year, the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) named it a Notable Children's Book, and Booklist included it on their 2019 Editor's Choice: Books for Youth list. That year, Bank Street College of Education included it on their list of the best history books for children ages 12–14. In 2020, Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) included Spooked! on their Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers list.
In 2019, The Bulletin and Kirkus Reviews included The Poison Eaters on their lists of the best books of the year. The Chicago Public Library included it on their "Best Informational Books for Older Readers of 2019" list. The following year, ALSC named it a Notable Children's Book, and Bank Street College of Education named it one of the year's best STEM books for children ages 9–12.
In 2020, the Chicago Public Library included Blood and Germs on their annual "Best Informational Books for Older Readers" list.
In 2022, School Library Journal named Ambushed! one of the best children's books of the year.
The same year, the Chicago Public Library included American Murderer on their "Best Informational Books for Older Readers" list. The following year, ALSC named it a Notable Children's Book.
Awards for Jarrow's writing :
| Year | Title | Award | Result |
| 2013 | The Amazing Harry Kellar | YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction | Nominee |
| 2015 | Fatal Fever | Cybils Award for Elementary and Middle Grade Nonfiction | Finalist |
| 2015 | Red Madness | YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction | Nominee |
| 2016 | Bubonic Panic | Cybils Award for Middle Grade Nonfiction | Finalist |
| 2016 | Red Madness | YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction | Nominee |
| 2018 | Spooked! | Cybils Award for Junior High Nonfiction | Finalist |
| 2019 | Spooked! | Golden Kite Award | Honor |
| 2019 | Spooked! | Sibert Medal | Honor |
| 2019 | Spooked! | YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction | Nominee |
| 2019 | The Poison Eaters | Cybils Award for Junior High Nonfiction | Finalist |
| 2020 | The Poison Eaters | Orbis Pictus Award | Honor |
| 2020 | The Poison Eaters | YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction | Nominee |
| 2021 | Blood and Germs | Kids Choice Award for Favorite True Story | Finalist |
| 2021 | Blood and Germs | YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction | Nominee |
| 2022 | Ambushed! | YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction | Winner |
| 2023 | American Murderer | YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction | Finalist |

## Publications

* 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)