EducatingParents.org rating: Caution - Read With Care
Book talks about events on 9/11/2001. Content may be traumatic for young children. Be prepared to answer questions that may arise.
Book may not fall in line with beliefs/knowledge of what happened on 9/11.

This book is a picture book that describes the tragedy of September 11. This well written book is sensitive to what occured and explains it in a way that makes it accessible for young readers who are too young or weren't alive on the day. In the classroom I would use this book to discuss with students the tragedy of September 11, 2001. ( )

This is a very great and powerful non-fiction book that talks about the events that occurred on 9/11. I highly recommend it to anyone because it is very strong, has great detail, and is a very easy read. The books layout is by stating what events happened in order, and even includes personal statements from firefighters and people who were there. Because this book is fairly short, it could be used in History class when students learn about the attacks that happened in 9/11. ( )

Prolific picture-book biographer and historian Don Brown turns to the tragic tale of September 11th, 2001 in this moving title, setting out the story of the terrorist attacks that occurred in America on that day. His simple but powerful text describes the events - the crashing of two planes into the World Trade Center in New York City, the crashing of another into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and the crashing of a fourth in a field in Pennsylvania - while also highlighting the stories of specific individuals caught up in the chaos, some of whom survived, and some of whom didn't. An afterword gives more information, as well as Brown's dedication to the fifteen people from his own hometown who perished in the attacks...

America Is Under Attack: September 11, 2001: The Day the Towers Fell is part of Brown's Actual Times series, chronicling key days in history - days which changed the course of world events. It's sobering to think that there are young Americans today who don't remember 9/11, because it happened before they were born. They don't recall a world in which there was no Department of Homeland Security, no seemingly perpetual war on terrorism. I found myself deeply moved, reading this book, and learned some individual stories that left me both heartbroken and inspired. One of only a few 9/11-related children's books I have read, this is probably the best, in terms of describing what actually happened. It is far too involved for younger children, not to mention too traumatic, but for upper primary and middle-school children it would make a good introduction to the topic, and it is to such children that I would recommend it. For my part, I was impressed by the mixture of historical and personal narrative here, and intend to track down more of the Actual Times books. ( )

Top 100 Favorite because:

I remember where I was and what I was doing that day. If someone was old enough, they do. Nothing was ever the same again and Don Brown poignantly, respectfully, authentically, accurately, and succinctly recounts the events of that day. The illustrations convey more emotion than I would have thought possible based on the indistinct watercolor effect-yet the blurred faces still manage to convey the shock, fear, and horror without difficulty. I have not read many accounts that have made me as emotional and brought up memories as much as this book. It is a tribute to Don Brown's skill as an author and illustrator. ( )