Killers of the Flower Moon: Adapted for Young Readers: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI

Gr 8 Up–Grann’s adaptation of his 2017 mega-bestselling title of the same name has lost none of the urgency of the astounding original. Once upon a time, “the Osage were considered the wealthiest people per capita in the world,” a result of the oil beneath their Oklahoma land. In the 1920s, they became “the world’s most murdered.” Grann’s dazzling three-part exposition gets enhanced with a trio presentation. Kyla Garcia helms “The Marked Woman,” introducing the gruesome murders—the body count hits 24 by section’s end; her signature sing-songy narration isn’t an ideal fit, making her weakest of the three. Jon Lindstrom follows as FBI agent Tom White, “The Evidence Man,” solemnly embodying White’s fearless tenacity. Joe Ochman is earnestly probing as “The Reporter” who takes the “case not closed” to revelatory conclusion.