Our Middle Grade book spotlight this week is focused on books that examine the events of September 11, 2001. As we approach the 20th anniversary of that fateful Tuesday, it is a date that should be remembered and examined as everything changed at home and abroad by the end of that day. Books are an amazing way of not only reflecting but also learning about that day and the events that took place as many of you may not be old enough to remember what happened and is just a mention or a blip in your history class or textbook; for those of us who were alive and knew what was happening, it is something that we will never forget and can share the details of our entire day. We have a wide selection of fiction and nonfiction, titles about that day specifically and others about what happened in the days, weeks, months, and years after that profoundly impacted the way we live today. These books and more can be found by searching the catalog using the search tag #youthseptember11 as well as on Libby and Hoopla. Check back next week for a new Middle Grade book spotlight and if you have any book suggestions, please let us know!!
Towers Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes--Fifth-grader Deja lives with her family in a shelter in New York City. When her teacher gives her class assignments related to the attacks on the Twin Towers, Deja wonders why she should care so much about something that happened before she was even born. But as she investigates 9/11, she learns things about her friends and her family she never imagined.
I Survived the Attacks of September 11, 2001 by Lauren Tarshis--When Lucas's parents tell him he needs to quit football because it is too dangerous, he skips school to go and talk to his football hero and uncle, Benny. That day was September 11, 2001, and Lucas is trapped in the city when the planes hit the towers.
America Is Under Attack by Don Brown--Author Brown candidly recounts the events of September 11, 2001, through news reports and published eyewitness accounts. His sensitive portrayal of the catastrophe is designed to guide young children, readers who have no recollection of the tragedy, through the entire day. Students follow the event from the plane hijackings in mid-air, to the deliberate collision attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, to the plane crash in Pennsylvania, to the various rescue operations and to the eventual collapse of the World Trade Center Towers.
What Were the Twin Towers by Jim O’Connor--When the Twin Towers were built in 1973, they were billed as an architectural wonder. At 1,368 feet, they clocked in as the tallest buildings in the world and changed the New York City skyline dramatically. Offices and corporations moved into the towers—also known as the World Trade Center—and the buildings were seen as the economic hub of the world. But on September 11, 2001, a terrorist attack toppled the towers and changed our nation forever. Discover the whole story of the Twin Towers—from their ambitious construction to their tragic end.
September 11: Then and Now by Peter Benoit--Depicts the 9/11 terrorist attacks on American soil and examines how the attacks were planned and carried out. Discusses the reaction of Americans and other countries around the world, illustrates the efforts made by the rescue teams at the World Trade Center, and describes the physical and emotional problems that rescue workers and survivors endured.
Fireboat by Maira Kalman--A fireboat, launched in 1931, is retired after many years of fighting fires along the Hudson River, but is saved from being scrapped and then called into service again on September 11, 2001.