Skip to main content

Books That Take You There: 9/11

September 11, 2001 will always live in the minds and hearts of Americans because of the horrific terrorist attacks that were carried out at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon that day. Around 2,977 people lost their lives, and many tales of bravery and heroism have come to light. The following books provide more information on the events as they unfolded, as well as, more personal remembrances and stories.

Smoke at the Pentagon: Poems to Remember
Written by Jacqueline Jules 
Illustrated by Eszter Anna RĆ”cz
Fresno, CA: Moon Shower, an imprint of Bushel & Peck books, 2023. Informational. 

Told in numerous points of view of young people living in the area of northern Virginia at the time of the attack on the Pentagon, this novel in verse is composed from composites of their personal experiences. 

By Amy Maranville
North Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2022. Informational. 32 pages.

An informative look at what led to the attacks, details from the day itself, and the impact these events have had on America as its moved forward. Chapters include: A Tuesday Morning, Two More Planes, Inside the Buildings, and A Changed World. 

Written by Lauren Tarshis
Illustrated Janice Chang
New York: Scholastic Inc., 2021. Comics. 147 pages. 

A graphic novel adaptation of the ever-popular I Survived series, I Survived the Attacks of September 11, 2001 follows the character of Lucas who on the morning of 9/11 is traveling into New York City to talk over his parents' decision that he quit football with his Uncle Benny, a firefighter. But, just as he arrives at the firehouse, the events of that memorable day begin to unfold. A gripping fictional storyline that includes informational back matter and photographs, this graphic novel will appeal to history lovers and comic buffs alike.

Written by Marcie Colleen
Illustrated by Aaron Becker
New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2021. Informational. 

Survivor Tree gives a sensitive, multi-layered look at the true story of a Callery pear tree that grew at the base of the twin towers. The tree's story is bolstered by a correlating illustrative timeline of a brother and sister growing up with the tree, and subsequently the sister's implied loss in one of the towers. Closure is reached when the tree, after being nurtured back to health over nine years, is returned to the 9/11 Memorial. 






Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Review: The Factory

The Factory By Catherine Egan New York, NY : Scholastic Inc., 2025. Fiction. 306 pages.  Thirteen-year-old Asher Doyle has been invited to join the Factory, a secretive research facility in the desert which ostensibly extracts renewable energy from the electromagnetic fields of its young recruits. But Asher soon realizes something sinister is going on. Kids are getting sick. The adults who run the Factory seem to be keeping secrets. And the extraction process is not only painful and exhausting, but existentially troubling. Asher makes a handful of new friends who help him with an investigation that turns into a resistance, which turns into...a cliffhanger! The Factory is a page-turning sci-fi with multidimensional characters, an intriguing plot, and refreshingly straight-forward writing. Egan weaves in detail about climate crises and social unrest, making the story's dystopian setting feel rich and plausible. With its sophisticated themes and accessible storytelling, I would recomm...

Review: Fowl Play

  Fowl Play By Kristin O'Donnell Tubb New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2024. Fiction 277 pages. Still reeling from her beloved uncle's death, Chloe Alvarez is comforted and confused when at his last will and testament reading, Uncle Will gifts her his African Grey parrot, Charlie. Charlie has a robust vocabulary and loves to make Alexa requests for her favorite songs, but when she starts saying things like, "homicide," and "cyanide," Chloe becomes convinced that Uncle Will may have met his demise by murder instead of a genetic disease, as was previously thought. Ultimately, bringing in her brother, Grammy, and Uncle Frank (and of course Charlie,) Chloe's ragtag and adoring family support her search for answers ---going on stakeouts, engaging in fast pursuits, and searching for clues. But as the suspects stack up and the mystery grows, Chole will learn that the process of death and grieving is complicated, and in the end her Uncle Will's words that, ...

Review: A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall

A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall By Jasmine Warga New York: Harper, 2024. Fiction. 211 pages. A painting has been stolen from the Penelope L. Brooks Museum and sixth-grader Rami Ahmed is worried he's the main suspect. His mother works at the museum as the lead custodian and Rami spends a lot of time hanging out at the museum while she works. On the day the painting went missing, the only people there were the security guard Ed, the cleaning crew, and Rami. Then, a mysterious girl appears in the museum. She floats around from room to room and only Rami can see her -- and she looks exactly like the girl from the missing painting. To prove his innocence and help figure out who the floating girl is, Rami partners up with an aspiring sleuth at school named Veda and the two dive into unexpected situations as they try to solve the mystery. This is a cozy mystery that is focused mostly on characters and ambiance and only a little on the mystery itself. Don't read this book if yo...