America is Under Attack: September 11, 2001: The Day the Towers Fell - Don Brown

      

America is Under Attack: September 11, 2001: The Day the Towers Fell - Don Brown

Bibliography: 

Brown, D., & Arnold, A. (2014). America is under attack: September 11, 2001: The day the towers fell. Square Fish/Roaring Brook Press. 

Plot Summary: 

Provides a chronological account of September 11, 2001, including the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., as well as the hijacking of a plane that crashed in Pennsylvania.

Critical Analysis:

America is Under Attack touches upon some very scary, and very real, situations surrounding the 9-11 attacks. It was pretty hard to read, even though this is a simplified and more "friendly" recount of the tragedy, meant for children. 

I have not read any other books from Brown's "Actual Times" series about historical events, but I did think this was a good way to tell the story of September 11th -- the tragedy of it, the heroes that sacrificed their own lives to save complete strangers, and the strength of the human spirit when it seems impossible. I would say this book is good for grades 3-6 and possibly beyond. It's very informative, providing actual quotes from survivors and many details about the attacks and the events which unfolded afterwards. 

The illustrations are great -- this is such an emotional day to recall, and although some of the images are hard to look at because I remember the day so vividly, I think the author did a great job of combining visuals and text in a way that is emotional, but not too emotional for children to handle.

I think the possibilities for classroom applications using this book -- and others like it -- in elementary classrooms are plentiful. Obviously, this would fit seamlessly into a social studies unit about either this event specifically, or in a larger unit dealing with terrorism or crisis situations. There are so many opportunities for deep and meaningful whole class or small group discussions based on the events of 9-11, and although students in elementary school were (likely) not born yet, I'm sure their parents and/or siblings do remember the day clearly. 

Review Excerpt: 

The Horn Book (starred review)

Illustrated on every spread with line-and-wash pictures that are forthright but never sensational, the book is superbly focused and completely honest.

School Library Journal (starred review)

Brown's compelling narrative chronologically recounts the morning's events in a tone both straightforward and compassionate, without resorting to sensationalism.

Booklist

Brown's take . . . is a model of straightforward, earnest nonfiction writing that brings things to many an uncomfortable point--that cannot be avoided--without going too far.

Connections:

September 11th

US History

First Person Accounts

Political Science