America Is Under Attack: September 11, 2001: The Day the Towers Fell

America Is Under Attack: September 11, 2001: The Day the Towers Fell

 

Written and Illustrated by: Don Brown

Published by: Flash Point

64 Pages

 

​September 11, 2001 is a day that changed America forever. Most children in Elementary school now in 2014, do not even remember this day because most weren’t even born yet. In this book, Don Brown takes us back to the terrifying and tragic day. He writes in a ‘kid friendly’ manner so that the children can understand what happened on that day. Some of it is very straight forward, but honest and truthful. The story takes us through the events of the day, from the hijackings into the Towers, Pentagon, and in Pennsylvania to the rescues and after thoughts as we all watched the beautiful towers fall to the ground and Patriotism rise to the sky.

​The illustrations in this story are drawn and painted with cool watercolors and pencil. The images hold nothing back. They show the sadness that was on all of our faces that morning, as well as the planes crashing into the side of the towers. The pictures capture some tough rescues as the towers fell. While some may say this book is too graphic, it truly shows the events of the day in a factual way.

 

​First, I would definitely use this book in a history lesson when teaching about September 11, 2001. Of course, I would ask parents beforehand because it is an awful story, but it must be told just like any other war or event in History. I would also use this story to read on the actual anniversary of the event. I would create a KWL chart for the students to fill out before, during, and after the reading. I would allow students time to share their thoughts and any questions with the class. I would use this book for a writing exercise. I would have the student’s interview someone that remembers the day the towers fell, thenthe students would write a story about their interviewees feelings and thoughts.