September 11 and Its Place in History

As the tragic events which occurred on September 11, 2001 have receded in the public consciousness, they have become embedded in our nation’s history.  Enough years have passed that school children today have no clear recollection of the attack on the World Trade Center and its aftermath. Children’s writers came out with informative, sensitive books dealing with the events within several years of the terrorist attacks, but children’s fiction writers have rarely used the attacks as subject matter.  They are more likely to write  about characters whose relatives are involved in the ensuing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.   If you would like to educate your children about 9/11;  the background of the targets and the stories of bravery and selflessness, here are some recently published books:

 Ground Zero Dogs by Meish Goldish.  Profiles of dogs who performed admirably during the aftermath: guide dogs who led their masters to safety, FEMA dogs performing sniff & rescue, therapy dogs who could provide comfort & cheer to the human workers.


 14 Cows for America by Carmen Agra Deedy.  Beautifully illustrated picture book tells of the Kenyan Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah who returned to his Masai village after witnessing  the attacks of Sept. 11. He and his people are moved to offer 14 cows, which to them mean life, as gifts to the US  "Because there is no nation so powerful it cannot be wounded, nor a people so small they cannot offer mighty comfort."

 America is Under Attack : the Day the Towers Fell (Actual Times series) by Don Brown. Told in a narrative with quotations from eye witnesses and first responders.  Drawings illustrate the events as they unfold.

 The TwinTowers (A Place in History series) by David Abbott.  Iconic photographs and extensive background on the building of the Twin Towers, the rise of Islamic extremism and Al Qaeda through the  attacks of Sept. 11 to the wars in Iraq  and Afghanistan.  

  The War on Terror (Secret History series) by Brian Williams.  Informational panels and photographs provide  background on terrorism and terrorists, along with previous attacks.

 The World Trade Center (History’s Great Structures) by Adam Woog.  For children who might wonder why the twin towers were targets of Al Qaeda, this book provides information about the building, use, and destruction of the World Trade Center buildings in New York.

And finally, some fiction:

  The Attacks of September 11, 2001 (I Survived series) by Lauren Tarshis.  Written in response to requests from students during school visits, this story follows Lucas, whose father and family friend work as NYC firefighters.  Lucas is visiting the fire station the morning of Sept. 11 and finds himself caught up in the terrorist attack, witnessing how firefighters and others responded.

  A Long Way Home by Alice Walsh.  Rabia & her family are escaping the brutal rule of the Taliban in Afghanistan and are on their way to the USA when their flight is diverted from NYC to Newfoundland due to the terrorist attacks.  They and other stranded passengers are taken in by the residents of the small community of Gander.  In the middle of world wide tragedy and anxiety, they find unexpected kindness, surprising adventure and the hope that the future can still be bright.