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Actual Times
America Is Under Attack: September 11, 2001: The Day the Towers Fell
One of School Library Journal's Best Nonfiction Books of 2011
One of Horn Book's Best Nonfiction Books of 2011
On the ten year anniversary of the September 11 tragedy, a straightforward and sensitive book for a generation of readers too young to remember that terrible day.
The events of September 11, 2001 changed the world forever. In the fourth installment of the Actual Times series, Don Brown narrates the events of the day in a way that is both accessible and understandable for young readers. Straightforward and honest, this account moves chronologically through the morning, from the terrorist plane hijackings to the crashes at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Pennsylvania; from the rescue operations at the WTC site in New York City to the collapse of the buildings. Vivid watercolor illustrations capture the emotion and pathos of the tragedy making this an important book about an unforgettable day in American history.
One of Horn Book's Best Nonfiction Books of 2011
On the ten year anniversary of the September 11 tragedy, a straightforward and sensitive book for a generation of readers too young to remember that terrible day.
The events of September 11, 2001 changed the world forever. In the fourth installment of the Actual Times series, Don Brown narrates the events of the day in a way that is both accessible and understandable for young readers. Straightforward and honest, this account moves chronologically through the morning, from the terrorist plane hijackings to the crashes at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Pennsylvania; from the rescue operations at the WTC site in New York City to the collapse of the buildings. Vivid watercolor illustrations capture the emotion and pathos of the tragedy making this an important book about an unforgettable day in American history.
64 pages, Hardcover
First published August 16, 2011
25 people are currently reading
1156 people want to read
About the author
Don Brown
48 books148 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Don Brown is the award-winning author and illustrator of many picture book biographies. He has been widely praised for his resonant storytelling and his delicate watercolor paintings that evoke the excitement, humor, pain, and joy of lives lived with passion. School Library Journal has called him "a current pacesetter who has put the finishing touches on the standards for storyographies." He lives in New York with his family.
Don Brown is the award-winning author and illustrator of many picture book biographies. He has been widely praised for his resonant storytelling and his delicate watercolor paintings that evoke the excitement, humor, pain, and joy of lives lived with passion. School Library Journal has called him "a current pacesetter who has put the finishing touches on the standards for storyographies." He lives in New York with his family.
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August 14, 2021
With knives, pepper spray, and threats of bombs, they stormed the four airliner cockpits and wrested control away from the pilots. The jets were no longer just ordinary airplanes; they were weapons. The planes banked away from their planned flight paths and headed for their targets.
Written specifically for the 10th anniversary of 9/11, this juvenile nonfiction volume effectively presents the tragedy of that day for a new generation as well. It is so strange to think about how long those towers have been missing from the NYC skyline. The cover bears witness to the scale of their presence. The Statue of Liberty looks so tiny next to them. I give Don Brown high marks for his telling of the story. That day is so complicated, yet he distilled it down to the most critical details. There is much more to be said about that day and resources are provided from 2011 in the back of the book. As we continue to approach the 20th anniversary, more and more will become available. Milestones like this one give us the extra nudge to remember that day and the indomitable spirit we saw exhibited by those who were cast into the drama of that beautiful September morning. For adults and teens who are interested in a much more comprehensive view of that day, I commend to you The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 in audio book form. It is one of the best audio books I have ever listened to.
Written specifically for the 10th anniversary of 9/11, this juvenile nonfiction volume effectively presents the tragedy of that day for a new generation as well. It is so strange to think about how long those towers have been missing from the NYC skyline. The cover bears witness to the scale of their presence. The Statue of Liberty looks so tiny next to them. I give Don Brown high marks for his telling of the story. That day is so complicated, yet he distilled it down to the most critical details. There is much more to be said about that day and resources are provided from 2011 in the back of the book. As we continue to approach the 20th anniversary, more and more will become available. Milestones like this one give us the extra nudge to remember that day and the indomitable spirit we saw exhibited by those who were cast into the drama of that beautiful September morning. For adults and teens who are interested in a much more comprehensive view of that day, I commend to you The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 in audio book form. It is one of the best audio books I have ever listened to.
September 14, 2020
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.
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.
February 10, 2021
This past September 11th, 2020--the 19th anniversary of the attack on the Twin Towers--struck me with particular somber. Perhaps because America--and most of the world--was six months into an isolating, stressful pandemic. Perhaps because teaching about 9/11 each year brings it back as all vividly as if I'm 11-years-old, watching the South Tower fall on television from my family's living room in boring (and safe) Indiana.
I'm not sure the exact reason I was moved more profoundly than in years past, compelled to look up news coverage from that day on YouTube and read article after article about The Falling Man. Sometimes things just hit you when hit you.
And I was struck all over again today while reading America Is Under Attack: September 11, 2001: The Day the Towers Fell. I might have mentioned this before, but Don Brown is an anthropologist (if not in degree, than in my humble opinion) along with being a writer. His non-fiction works for young people weave together facts and feelings. Pivotal events in history are made human and personal, no matter how long ago or recently the events occurred, through his effective narratives.
It's those personal stories that rendered me teary by the end of this compact piece. The brother firefighters really got to me. So did Jay Jonas. And Chris Young's eerie experience straight out of The Twilight Zone. They represent the stories of so many on that day. A day which often doesn't feel that far back.
After finishing my lesson on 9/11 this past year, my 4th graders asked, "How do you remember everything that happened?" I wasn't using a textbook. Most of my students were born 8-10 years after 9/11, so it's as foreign as the Oregon Trail or the Revolutionary War. I explained that everyone who was old enough to remember 9/11, remembers it was a Tuesday; that we had hoped it a horrible accident--a bomb, maybe, not a plane. It's living history for us. In the same way the Covid-19 Pandemic will be for my 4th graders when they're adults.
Next year, I will definitely use America Is Under Attack to teach about 9/11. It will be the 20th anniversary and the memories as stark as ever.
I'm not sure the exact reason I was moved more profoundly than in years past, compelled to look up news coverage from that day on YouTube and read article after article about The Falling Man. Sometimes things just hit you when hit you.
And I was struck all over again today while reading America Is Under Attack: September 11, 2001: The Day the Towers Fell. I might have mentioned this before, but Don Brown is an anthropologist (if not in degree, than in my humble opinion) along with being a writer. His non-fiction works for young people weave together facts and feelings. Pivotal events in history are made human and personal, no matter how long ago or recently the events occurred, through his effective narratives.
It's those personal stories that rendered me teary by the end of this compact piece. The brother firefighters really got to me. So did Jay Jonas. And Chris Young's eerie experience straight out of The Twilight Zone. They represent the stories of so many on that day. A day which often doesn't feel that far back.
After finishing my lesson on 9/11 this past year, my 4th graders asked, "How do you remember everything that happened?" I wasn't using a textbook. Most of my students were born 8-10 years after 9/11, so it's as foreign as the Oregon Trail or the Revolutionary War. I explained that everyone who was old enough to remember 9/11, remembers it was a Tuesday; that we had hoped it a horrible accident--a bomb, maybe, not a plane. It's living history for us. In the same way the Covid-19 Pandemic will be for my 4th graders when they're adults.
Next year, I will definitely use America Is Under Attack to teach about 9/11. It will be the 20th anniversary and the memories as stark as ever.
February 11, 2012
This book does not inform children about the whole political issues around the violence between United States and the Middle East. What is more, it portrays Al Qaeda agents as "deadly" hijackers who are madly hateful for no special reason. To me, the most shocking phrase in the book is this one: "among their ordinary passengers were nineteen deadly men. They were followers of Osama Bin Laden, leader of an organization known as Al-Qaeda. The group hated America's power and influence." Hopefully some readers will ask themselves, what kind of power and influence are these that make people so angry at this country? Also, it is trying to be persuasive, specially this quote: "2973 people were dead, more than the numbers of Americans killed at Pearl Harbor or on D-Day." It is really sad that all this innocent people died that day, but if it really is about human solidarity, can people really imagine how many people have died from American imperialism around the world? Who's the real victim and who's the real terrorist? This book might influence American children to hate Afghan people for no reason. And by the way, "America" is a continent.
October 17, 2011
This is a good book for educating children (ages 9 through 13) about what happened on 9/11. Its strengths are telling the stories of specific individuals, including many of the rescuers, and the lovely watercolor paintings.
Some background is definitely given, so some of the big picture does come across. But, I’d say this book should not be the only book used to learn about the events that took place on 9/11. There are a lot of statistics given though, lots of numbers.
Alternately heartbreaking and inspiring/uplifting, I found it a painful reading experience. I did learn quite a bit about specific people, including people whose stories I had not heard before reading this book.
I love that the author-illustrator dedicates this book to the 15 people from his hometown who died in the attacks. It’s a very nice touch. The author’s note at the end does give more information (but it was apparently written prior to Bin Laden’s death.)
Some background is definitely given, so some of the big picture does come across. But, I’d say this book should not be the only book used to learn about the events that took place on 9/11. There are a lot of statistics given though, lots of numbers.
Alternately heartbreaking and inspiring/uplifting, I found it a painful reading experience. I did learn quite a bit about specific people, including people whose stories I had not heard before reading this book.
I love that the author-illustrator dedicates this book to the 15 people from his hometown who died in the attacks. It’s a very nice touch. The author’s note at the end does give more information (but it was apparently written prior to Bin Laden’s death.)
November 29, 2021
I don’t usually include picture books here, but this nonfiction account of the attacks on 9/11 was exactly what I was looking for for my elementary age kids. It’s about twice as long as an average picture book and is written in an engaging narrative style with realistic watercolor illustrations. One of my kids wanted to do something else at the time I pulled out this book to read, but despite the initial attitude the child was soon fully engaged and asking questions.
My kids have heard conversations about and seen news clips of that day, but I don’t think they really understood the snippets they’ve seen and heard until reading this book. I’ve talked to them about my memories of the day, but perhaps because I lived it as a young adult, I unknowingly failed to explain important background? Or they didn’t have enough knowledge to be able to imagine the events I explained to them? This book gave them the settings and context and impact and, maybe most importantly of all, just the right pacing and level of detail to begin making sense of this historic event and why it had such an impact on the adults in their life and their country still today.
My kids have heard conversations about and seen news clips of that day, but I don’t think they really understood the snippets they’ve seen and heard until reading this book. I’ve talked to them about my memories of the day, but perhaps because I lived it as a young adult, I unknowingly failed to explain important background? Or they didn’t have enough knowledge to be able to imagine the events I explained to them? This book gave them the settings and context and impact and, maybe most importantly of all, just the right pacing and level of detail to begin making sense of this historic event and why it had such an impact on the adults in their life and their country still today.
July 31, 2018
This was engaging and informational and included stories of real individuals which made it more relatable than just relating the facts. My 9 year old asked lots of questions and was very engaged in the story. It made me emotional in several places as I read and remembered the events of that day.
September 5, 2011
http://nonfictiondetectives.blogspot....
How does a country deal with tragedy? How do parents and teachers explain unfathomable events to children? Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, many adults attempted to shield children from seeing the images of the planes flying into the towers. We turned off the news when footage was broadcast, and we avoided discussing the events in the presence of our kids. The country was on edge, and we didn't want to scare our children.
Literature is an effective way to broach a tough subject with children. A number of children's books were published shortly after the events of 9/11 as a way to help children understand what had unfolded and to highlight good deeds by people who wanted to help a wounded country. One book that comes to mind is Fireboat: The Heroic Adventures of the John J. Harvey by Maira Kalman, published in 2002. Fireboat told the true story of a retired fireboat that was brought in to help put out the fires on Sept. 11, 2001.
The children of 2001 are now grown, and the majority of children in elementary school today were born after 2001. With the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11th now upon us, a new children's book aims to describe the devastating events to young readers. America Is Under Attack by Don Brown outlines the tragedy in a concise, chronological, narrative style that elementary school children will understand. The author pins down the events to the exact minute:
"Massive flames spewed from the tower. Wreckage rained down on the street. It was 9:03 AM, seventeen minutes after the strike on the North Tower. People now understood the earlier crash was not a freak accident, but a deliberate attack."
Brown's watercolor illustrations convey the serious tone of the story. One page shows black smoke pouring out of one of the towers while people stand on the building's steel beams waving for help. Shades of black, gray and dark blue are used to illustrate a fallen firefighter as he is carried away from the wreckage by four firefighters as others look on and salute. Readers will relate to the gravity of the story through these illustrations.
Brown does not gloss over the events that may be difficult for children to hear, but he also doesn't go into details that may scare children. He strikes just the right balance. An author's note in the back includes facts about the number of deaths in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the Shanksville plane crash. A bibliography and list of source notes are also located in the back.
America is Under Attack fits the needs of many grade 3-6 libraries and classrooms. The book will educate a new generation of readers about September 11th without exploiting a tragedy that is still raw for many adults.
How does a country deal with tragedy? How do parents and teachers explain unfathomable events to children? Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, many adults attempted to shield children from seeing the images of the planes flying into the towers. We turned off the news when footage was broadcast, and we avoided discussing the events in the presence of our kids. The country was on edge, and we didn't want to scare our children.
Literature is an effective way to broach a tough subject with children. A number of children's books were published shortly after the events of 9/11 as a way to help children understand what had unfolded and to highlight good deeds by people who wanted to help a wounded country. One book that comes to mind is Fireboat: The Heroic Adventures of the John J. Harvey by Maira Kalman, published in 2002. Fireboat told the true story of a retired fireboat that was brought in to help put out the fires on Sept. 11, 2001.
The children of 2001 are now grown, and the majority of children in elementary school today were born after 2001. With the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11th now upon us, a new children's book aims to describe the devastating events to young readers. America Is Under Attack by Don Brown outlines the tragedy in a concise, chronological, narrative style that elementary school children will understand. The author pins down the events to the exact minute:
"Massive flames spewed from the tower. Wreckage rained down on the street. It was 9:03 AM, seventeen minutes after the strike on the North Tower. People now understood the earlier crash was not a freak accident, but a deliberate attack."
Brown's watercolor illustrations convey the serious tone of the story. One page shows black smoke pouring out of one of the towers while people stand on the building's steel beams waving for help. Shades of black, gray and dark blue are used to illustrate a fallen firefighter as he is carried away from the wreckage by four firefighters as others look on and salute. Readers will relate to the gravity of the story through these illustrations.
Brown does not gloss over the events that may be difficult for children to hear, but he also doesn't go into details that may scare children. He strikes just the right balance. An author's note in the back includes facts about the number of deaths in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the Shanksville plane crash. A bibliography and list of source notes are also located in the back.
America is Under Attack fits the needs of many grade 3-6 libraries and classrooms. The book will educate a new generation of readers about September 11th without exploiting a tragedy that is still raw for many adults.
October 8, 2013
Yikes. Obviously, 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.
I like the way the subject was handled, and for that, I'm giving this book 4 stars. This book is recommended for grades 1-5. It was a bit on the lengthy side for some primary/younger elementary aged students, but I think older elementary students and middle level students would enjoy this visually appealing (yet detail-oriented) approach to learning about a historical topic. I'm definitely intrigued enough to check out Don Brown's other historical children's books.
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.
I like the way the subject was handled, and for that, I'm giving this book 4 stars. This book is recommended for grades 1-5. It was a bit on the lengthy side for some primary/younger elementary aged students, but I think older elementary students and middle level students would enjoy this visually appealing (yet detail-oriented) approach to learning about a historical topic. I'm definitely intrigued enough to check out Don Brown's other historical children's books.
September 12, 2011
At the tenth anniversary of September 11, the question arises, how do we talk to children about what happened that day. The children I work with weren't even born when it happened. How do we help students understand the event without giving more detail than is appropriate. Don Brown has answered that question beautifully. He gives the basic string of events, but he also humanizes the story by quoting and telling the experiences of some of those who were there that day. The illustrations provide context without being graphic. The use of illustrations softens things a bit. Brown doesn't shy away from the things that went wrong, the chaos, the poor communication, etc. But he doesn't focus on that, he focuses on the sacrifices made by those who chose to risk and sometimes lose their lives to aide others and that is something always worth remembering.
April 21, 2015
This was painful to read even now. I would have a tough time reading this aloud to a group of students without becoming emotional, but I think Brown did a really nice job of covering the events in a student-friendly way. His illustrations were also VERY well-done. I liked that he focused on stories of several individuals. Reading this made me want to find and read other books in the "Actual Times" series.
This was a Grand Canyon Reader Award nominee for 2015.
This was a Grand Canyon Reader Award nominee for 2015.
December 28, 2011
An excellent account of the events immediately before, during, and after the September 11th terrorist attack on the US. Don Brown weaves together factual information and people's first hand accounts into a powerful narrative for younger readers.
A concise first look at the events on that terrible day.
A concise first look at the events on that terrible day.
July 29, 2015
An excellent chronicle of the tragic day for readers too young to remember or not yet born. I especially like the focus on individual victims and survivors. Vivid, emotional and powerful.
December 30, 2020
Very well done. Factual and engaging. Great way to explain September 11 to children.
August 7, 2017
Straight forward and honest, this is a great book to share with kids learning about what happened on 9/11.
April 2, 2021
Long but good way to share the events of 9/11 with kids without being too graphic but still sharing some individual stories. I read it to my 8 and 3 year olds and it held both of their attentions.
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June 19, 2013Audience: primary
Genre: America is Under Attack fits is part of the nonfiction genre. It depicts the tragic events and informs readers about the terrorist attack that occurred on September 11, 2001.
Award: School Library Journal Best Nonfiction: 2011
Summary:
America is Under Attack is intended to provide young readers with an understanding of the terrorist attacks that have greatly impacted the United States. The events that transpired on September 11, 2001 can be quite difficult for students to understand. Often times, they have a vague understanding of what adults refer to as “9/11,” however, they can not fully grasp the significance of it. Don Brown attempts to bridge the gap in their understanding in his nonfiction book.
Brown provides readers with a background of the tragic event. He explains that early one morning, a group of men who were dedicated to following Osama Bin Laden, offered their lives to support the al-Qaeda organization. The group disliked America’s power and influence in the world and they promised to bring violence to the U.S. Bin Laden’s followers hijacked four commercial airliners and intended to use the planes as weapons. One of the jets collided into the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 in the morning. Brown describes the ensuing events, and uses numerical values and facts to add significance to the event. Within minutes after the collision, rescue workers arrived on the scene. Firefighters began ascending the stairs with an additional eighty pounds of equipment: they were headed for the 90th floor. Seventeen minutes after the first attack, a second airliner collided into the South Tower. It was now understood that it was a deliberate attack on the World Trade Center. The attack did not stop there, however, a third plane crashed into the Pentagon building. On the fourth hijacked plane, passengers learned of the ensuing attacks, and took action against the al-Qaida men. The passengers crashed the plane into a field before another civilian attack could occur. By the end of the attack, the two towers had completely collapsed, and 2,973 people had died.
Brown successfully depicts the tragic events of the terrorist attack using a combination of hard facts and first-hand accounts of witnesses. Using a twin text that depicts the heroes and gives personal accounts of the tragic event would immensely enhance Brown’s book. However, many of such books are written for older audiences and could pose problems if the stories were read to younger children. Therefore, since Brown’s book depicts the fire fighter as major heroes in the tragedy, discussing the roles that emergency responders play on an everyday basis would also enhance the nonfiction story. This would give students a greater understanding of the contributions that firefighters make not only in the face of extreme tragedies, but also in our day-to-day lives. The twin text about firefighters could also help foster the students’ dreams, since many children often hope to become firefighters. Finally, a twin text about firefighters would help to focus the kids’ attention on a more positive aspect of the tragic event.
One book that can be used to extend America is Under Attack is Chris L. Demarest’s Firefighters A to Z. In this story, Demarest, a firefighter himself, uses each letter of the alphabet to describe the tools that firemen use and the events and their responsibilities while working. Demarest uses rhyming verses and vivid pictures to grab the children’s attention. In reading this story, students will be able to think back about America is Under Attack from the firefighters perspective. They will have a better understanding of what the firemen likely did during the emergency and what equipment they would have had while travelling up the towers.
A second twin text that could enhance America is Under Attack is Meish Goldish’s Firefighters to the Rescue. As one of a series of books about various professions, this story provides readers with scenarios that firefighters may face. Additionally, it describes the responsibilities that firefighters have and provides examples of current responders and real-life events. This is a great extension to Brown’s book since it describes the responsibilities that first responders face. Additionally, one of the examples shows describes the responders’ actions on 9/11.
Genre: America is Under Attack fits is part of the nonfiction genre. It depicts the tragic events and informs readers about the terrorist attack that occurred on September 11, 2001.
Award: School Library Journal Best Nonfiction: 2011
Summary:
America is Under Attack is intended to provide young readers with an understanding of the terrorist attacks that have greatly impacted the United States. The events that transpired on September 11, 2001 can be quite difficult for students to understand. Often times, they have a vague understanding of what adults refer to as “9/11,” however, they can not fully grasp the significance of it. Don Brown attempts to bridge the gap in their understanding in his nonfiction book.
Brown provides readers with a background of the tragic event. He explains that early one morning, a group of men who were dedicated to following Osama Bin Laden, offered their lives to support the al-Qaeda organization. The group disliked America’s power and influence in the world and they promised to bring violence to the U.S. Bin Laden’s followers hijacked four commercial airliners and intended to use the planes as weapons. One of the jets collided into the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 in the morning. Brown describes the ensuing events, and uses numerical values and facts to add significance to the event. Within minutes after the collision, rescue workers arrived on the scene. Firefighters began ascending the stairs with an additional eighty pounds of equipment: they were headed for the 90th floor. Seventeen minutes after the first attack, a second airliner collided into the South Tower. It was now understood that it was a deliberate attack on the World Trade Center. The attack did not stop there, however, a third plane crashed into the Pentagon building. On the fourth hijacked plane, passengers learned of the ensuing attacks, and took action against the al-Qaida men. The passengers crashed the plane into a field before another civilian attack could occur. By the end of the attack, the two towers had completely collapsed, and 2,973 people had died.
Brown successfully depicts the tragic events of the terrorist attack using a combination of hard facts and first-hand accounts of witnesses. Using a twin text that depicts the heroes and gives personal accounts of the tragic event would immensely enhance Brown’s book. However, many of such books are written for older audiences and could pose problems if the stories were read to younger children. Therefore, since Brown’s book depicts the fire fighter as major heroes in the tragedy, discussing the roles that emergency responders play on an everyday basis would also enhance the nonfiction story. This would give students a greater understanding of the contributions that firefighters make not only in the face of extreme tragedies, but also in our day-to-day lives. The twin text about firefighters could also help foster the students’ dreams, since many children often hope to become firefighters. Finally, a twin text about firefighters would help to focus the kids’ attention on a more positive aspect of the tragic event.
One book that can be used to extend America is Under Attack is Chris L. Demarest’s Firefighters A to Z. In this story, Demarest, a firefighter himself, uses each letter of the alphabet to describe the tools that firemen use and the events and their responsibilities while working. Demarest uses rhyming verses and vivid pictures to grab the children’s attention. In reading this story, students will be able to think back about America is Under Attack from the firefighters perspective. They will have a better understanding of what the firemen likely did during the emergency and what equipment they would have had while travelling up the towers.
A second twin text that could enhance America is Under Attack is Meish Goldish’s Firefighters to the Rescue. As one of a series of books about various professions, this story provides readers with scenarios that firefighters may face. Additionally, it describes the responsibilities that firefighters have and provides examples of current responders and real-life events. This is a great extension to Brown’s book since it describes the responsibilities that first responders face. Additionally, one of the examples shows describes the responders’ actions on 9/11.
October 9, 2016
This short picture book tells the story of the attacks on September 11th. Because we've made it to a time when our young people don't understand what happened that day, books like this are essential. The illustrations are watercolor and line drawings, nothing too drastic for young readers. There's obviously more to share about 9/11 but this book is a good start for children.
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February 17, 2014America Under Attack is a powerful retelling of the events of the terrorist attacks that took place that fateful morning of September 11th, 2001. Even today, the terrorist attacks on New York are not easy to discuss. I was shocked and amazed at what this book accomplished in 64 pages. This book is intended for the elementary grades, however middle school students can also learn a lot about this day. Readers will also understand the feeling of great loss and sacrifice endured by the victims of this attack.
Emotionally, this was a difficult book to read. That aside, I was pleased by Don Brown’s triumph in encapsulating the facts of such a tragedy. His choice in words feels like a punch to the heart. Thankfully, Brown softens the blow of these image inducing adjectives with wonderful illustrations. Each page contains an image that reminds me of the raw footage released after that day. Every emotion I felt comes back at the turn of each page.
Finally, Brown succeeds in teaching young readers about the importance of the individual. Names of workers, fire fighters, and policemen are used throughout the book. The connections they made put emphasis on the magnitude of the day as well as the magnitude of helping others. In my opinion, this is the greatest lesson that can be taught about this day.
Emotionally, this was a difficult book to read. That aside, I was pleased by Don Brown’s triumph in encapsulating the facts of such a tragedy. His choice in words feels like a punch to the heart. Thankfully, Brown softens the blow of these image inducing adjectives with wonderful illustrations. Each page contains an image that reminds me of the raw footage released after that day. Every emotion I felt comes back at the turn of each page.
Finally, Brown succeeds in teaching young readers about the importance of the individual. Names of workers, fire fighters, and policemen are used throughout the book. The connections they made put emphasis on the magnitude of the day as well as the magnitude of helping others. In my opinion, this is the greatest lesson that can be taught about this day.
November 29, 2021
This book was written and illustrated by Don Brown. It was published in 2011 by Flash Point. This book is best suited for ages 6-10 and grades 1-4, but I think this book has a lot of important content and many unfamiliar words that would be appropriate for students even as old as high school age. If this book was read with younger students in 1st and 2nd grades, there would be a lot of vocabulary that would need to be pretaught and they would need some background knowledge on the real events that the book is based on. I located this book in the nonfiction chapter of the "Children's Books in Children's Hands" textbook. This book has won a William Allen White Children's Book Award (2014) and was one of School Library Journal's Best Nonfiction Books of (2011) and one of Horn Book's Best Nonfiction Books of (2011). I read this book in an e-book format. It didn't really affect the way that I read the book. The only thing that annoyed me was that I wasn't always able to see both pages at the same time, which was especially frustrating when there was a two-page spread illustration.
Synopsis/Diversity: This book takes a look at the events that happened on September 11, 2001, a day in America's history that changed the world forever. The author narrates the events that occurred that day in a sensitive way that is accessible and understandable for young readers. The story is told in an honest and straightforward way, detailing the events of the day in chronological order, starting with the hijacking of the planes that crash into the World Trade Centers, the Pentagon, and Pennsylvania, to the rescues that were attempted at the twin towers, to the collapses of both buildings.
This book is about a more recent time in American history. Many children nowadays were not around or barely remember the events of this tragic day. This book does a good job of bringing this day to light in a real and respectful way for those students. This isn't really a book specifically about diversity, but it is a topic that isn't really covered in literature for children, especially young children. There is quite a bit of literature about the topic for older students and it is covered a lot in chapter books, but there aren't a lot of picture books that handle the topic sensitively for younger students.
Illustrations/Text: The illustrations are vivid watercolors that look like sketches done with paper and pencil. They look almost incomplete and hurried, and you can still see the lines that were sketched, adding to the sense of urgency and chaos present in the words. Most of the illustrations are double-page spreads, maybe signaling how massive of a tragedy this was and the illustrator felt like they might have needed two pages to show all the details they wanted to convey. The illustrations are done in such a tasteful way. Even though this was a scary and horrific incident, he does a good job of evoking emotion and showing how truly horrific it was, but also not drawing so many details that would overwhelm or trigger the reader. The scenes aren't graphic and the pictures give off more of a cartoony than realistic vibe, which is developmentally appropriate. Even though the illustrator did a fantastic job of finding the balance, the pictures might still be a little scary or overwhelming for younger readers, so teachers should make sure to proceed with caution if using this book in K-2nd grade.
The book is very lengthy, double the length of your typical 32 page picture book. I think this is mostly due to the double-page illustrations though. There is quite a bit of text on each page, so the book would probably need to be read in multiple sittings for younger students. There is also a lot more graphic detail in the words than there is in the illustrations. For example, on one page, the author writes that some people felt like they had no choice but to jump out of the windows of the building. Thankfully, this is not shown in the illustration though. There are a lot of descriptive words in this book and a lot of high quality, tier 2 vocabulary that would be beneficial for students to learn and would be necessary for students to know in order to understand the book.
Nonfiction elements: This book falls into the category of factual nonfiction. There is just a straightforward presentation of known facts in this book. There are some newer facts included that I didn't even know about that day, but there is no interpretation or bias present in the book. It is clear that the author has extensively researched the facts and if you were to read another book on the same topic, there would be overlapping and consistent information in both books. The author has also written a note at the end of the book, providing a lot more details and statistics about this incident and about how many people lost their lives. The author also knew quite a few people from his neighborhood that lost their lives in the tragedy, making this book more personal for him as well. The author includes quotes from people on that day in his source notes and he even includes a bibliography, detailing where he acquired the information he researched. This doesn't follow the typical structure of a nonfiction book, with a glossary, table of contents, and an index. This book is actually told in a more narrative structure, where he tells the stories of different individuals during that day. He builds the story up to dramatic moments and then builds in suspense, where readers have to wait and continuing reading on to find out what happens to these "characters" in the story.
Classroom uses: This book would be a good book to use as a mentor text for strong vocabulary and descriptive language, as there is a lot of this present in the book. It would also be useful as a mentor text for information writing and how to integrate research into a narrative story and make it more engaging and interesting, as this is what Don Brown does. Lastly, this book would just be good to educate students on this time in American history and even compare and contrast it against other literature on this topic. With older students, you could engage them in more extensive conversations about the incident, and terrorism in general, and other incidents like this one that have happened in our history and around the world.
Synopsis/Diversity: This book takes a look at the events that happened on September 11, 2001, a day in America's history that changed the world forever. The author narrates the events that occurred that day in a sensitive way that is accessible and understandable for young readers. The story is told in an honest and straightforward way, detailing the events of the day in chronological order, starting with the hijacking of the planes that crash into the World Trade Centers, the Pentagon, and Pennsylvania, to the rescues that were attempted at the twin towers, to the collapses of both buildings.
This book is about a more recent time in American history. Many children nowadays were not around or barely remember the events of this tragic day. This book does a good job of bringing this day to light in a real and respectful way for those students. This isn't really a book specifically about diversity, but it is a topic that isn't really covered in literature for children, especially young children. There is quite a bit of literature about the topic for older students and it is covered a lot in chapter books, but there aren't a lot of picture books that handle the topic sensitively for younger students.
Illustrations/Text: The illustrations are vivid watercolors that look like sketches done with paper and pencil. They look almost incomplete and hurried, and you can still see the lines that were sketched, adding to the sense of urgency and chaos present in the words. Most of the illustrations are double-page spreads, maybe signaling how massive of a tragedy this was and the illustrator felt like they might have needed two pages to show all the details they wanted to convey. The illustrations are done in such a tasteful way. Even though this was a scary and horrific incident, he does a good job of evoking emotion and showing how truly horrific it was, but also not drawing so many details that would overwhelm or trigger the reader. The scenes aren't graphic and the pictures give off more of a cartoony than realistic vibe, which is developmentally appropriate. Even though the illustrator did a fantastic job of finding the balance, the pictures might still be a little scary or overwhelming for younger readers, so teachers should make sure to proceed with caution if using this book in K-2nd grade.
The book is very lengthy, double the length of your typical 32 page picture book. I think this is mostly due to the double-page illustrations though. There is quite a bit of text on each page, so the book would probably need to be read in multiple sittings for younger students. There is also a lot more graphic detail in the words than there is in the illustrations. For example, on one page, the author writes that some people felt like they had no choice but to jump out of the windows of the building. Thankfully, this is not shown in the illustration though. There are a lot of descriptive words in this book and a lot of high quality, tier 2 vocabulary that would be beneficial for students to learn and would be necessary for students to know in order to understand the book.
Nonfiction elements: This book falls into the category of factual nonfiction. There is just a straightforward presentation of known facts in this book. There are some newer facts included that I didn't even know about that day, but there is no interpretation or bias present in the book. It is clear that the author has extensively researched the facts and if you were to read another book on the same topic, there would be overlapping and consistent information in both books. The author has also written a note at the end of the book, providing a lot more details and statistics about this incident and about how many people lost their lives. The author also knew quite a few people from his neighborhood that lost their lives in the tragedy, making this book more personal for him as well. The author includes quotes from people on that day in his source notes and he even includes a bibliography, detailing where he acquired the information he researched. This doesn't follow the typical structure of a nonfiction book, with a glossary, table of contents, and an index. This book is actually told in a more narrative structure, where he tells the stories of different individuals during that day. He builds the story up to dramatic moments and then builds in suspense, where readers have to wait and continuing reading on to find out what happens to these "characters" in the story.
Classroom uses: This book would be a good book to use as a mentor text for strong vocabulary and descriptive language, as there is a lot of this present in the book. It would also be useful as a mentor text for information writing and how to integrate research into a narrative story and make it more engaging and interesting, as this is what Don Brown does. Lastly, this book would just be good to educate students on this time in American history and even compare and contrast it against other literature on this topic. With older students, you could engage them in more extensive conversations about the incident, and terrorism in general, and other incidents like this one that have happened in our history and around the world.
Read
June 21, 2012This book can be for anyone and for grades third through fifth. The audience is really for anyone. This book is a story about the world trade centers and the pentagon on 9/11. It was very factual but also had somewhat of a story. For example, it introduced a few characters (real people) and what happened to them but mostly the book was about what happened that day and why it is important. I thought this book was very factual on what happened and I actually learned a few things in the process! I would read this book to my students, I did enjoy it even though it was a bit sad. This book is on the School Library Journal best nonfiction 2011 list.
I am also putting my e-book on here! I went to pebble go and read "Frogs". This is a book anyone wanting to learn about frogs and it could be for grades k-2. I liked that the print was big and the words were easy. I also enjoyed that there were videos and that this is something I could send the students to do instead of reading it to them. This book did not have any awards.
I am also putting my e-book on here! I went to pebble go and read "Frogs". This is a book anyone wanting to learn about frogs and it could be for grades k-2. I liked that the print was big and the words were easy. I also enjoyed that there were videos and that this is something I could send the students to do instead of reading it to them. This book did not have any awards.
Read
July 21, 2013Audience: 3rd-6th Grade
Genre: Non fiction
Blooms Questions:
Remembering- Can you tell me three events that happened on September 11, 2001?
Understanding- Describe what people realized after the second plane hit?
Applying- What questions would you ask if you could question one of the passengers in the 4th plane, that crashed into the Pennsylvania field?
Analyzing- How would you compare the firefighters attitude and outlook going up the starts to the office workers going down?
Evaluating- Justify the rescue workers actions in this story. (their actions of going up and into the towers when others were fleeing)
Creating- If you had access to all resources, how would you create a monument or memorial for those that lost their lives on September 11?
Genre: Non fiction
Blooms Questions:
Remembering- Can you tell me three events that happened on September 11, 2001?
Understanding- Describe what people realized after the second plane hit?
Applying- What questions would you ask if you could question one of the passengers in the 4th plane, that crashed into the Pennsylvania field?
Analyzing- How would you compare the firefighters attitude and outlook going up the starts to the office workers going down?
Evaluating- Justify the rescue workers actions in this story. (their actions of going up and into the towers when others were fleeing)
Creating- If you had access to all resources, how would you create a monument or memorial for those that lost their lives on September 11?
December 15, 2011
This was remarkable. Of course, for adults at least, it is a review of events none of us will forget. But this is written for children who are too young to remember 9/11. Without any sensationalism, remarkable in itself, it simply but not simplistically tells what happened that day. The pictures are dramatic, but again, not sensational. The two, text and illustration, work together perfectly. This got lots of talk when first published and was by far the best of the 9/11 books I found for children. This is one of School Library Journal's Best Books of 2011 and deserves the honor. I'd say it has a decent chance at the Siebert in Jan 2012 too but I suspect it won't win since this has been a good year for nonfiction.
April 15, 2012
This nonfiction picturebook was recognized as one of The School Library Journal's Best Nonfiction Books of 2011. It chronicles the events that took plae on the morning of September 11,2001. The target audience for this book is children 8-12 years old(I).
I gave this book 4 stars. The author recounts the events of 9/11 in a way that is serious but not intimidating. He gives just the right amount of detail to inform the young reader without making him fearful. The color palette used in the illustration enhances the solemnn mood of the text. I would recommend this book for young readers.
This book is available in print.
I gave this book 4 stars. The author recounts the events of 9/11 in a way that is serious but not intimidating. He gives just the right amount of detail to inform the young reader without making him fearful. The color palette used in the illustration enhances the solemnn mood of the text. I would recommend this book for young readers.
This book is available in print.
November 12, 2011
I had to take a break from reading this because it affected me so much. I wonder how kids reading this will feel. The students I teach are not old enough to remember this day and soon, I will be teaching students who won't have been alive on this day.
This moving account of that fateful day in September weaves between matter-of-fact prose and emotional, personal stories of survivors and those who perished. The one thing I would have liked was to tell some personal stories of the people who stormed the cockpit on United Flight 93.
This moving account of that fateful day in September weaves between matter-of-fact prose and emotional, personal stories of survivors and those who perished. The one thing I would have liked was to tell some personal stories of the people who stormed the cockpit on United Flight 93.
March 3, 2014
Excellent book to give to children to understand the events of 9.11. The book explains the events well, and does not leave out some of the darkest moments. Young readers may need an adult to help guide and discuss with them as they read, while older readers will need less guidance. A hard book to read about a very important day in our history. Don Brown, as usual, does a great job including his notes, sources and quotes.
August 19, 2011
Picked this up to share with my 5th graders who weren't even born on 9/11. Very accessible for them.
September 4, 2011
I had shivers reading this story and remembering that morning.
November 8, 2012
Don Brown is my favorite juvenile history author.
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August 2, 2016I could not read this aloud to my listener.
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