Towers Falling

Towers Falling follows Dèja, a fifth-grade girl living in a Brooklyn homeless shelter with her family. When her new school begins teaching about the September 11 attacks, she realizes she knows nothing about this pivotal historical event. With help from her new friends Ben and Sabeen, Dèja begins investigating why her father struggles with health issues and rarely leaves their shelter. Her research into 9/11 leads her to uncover connections between the attacks and her own family's current circumstances. Through Dèja's journey of discovery, this middle-grade novel explores how historical events continue to affect communities and families across generations. The story addresses themes of friendship, family bonds, and the importance of understanding history's impact on the present.

Readers appreciate how the book handles 9/11 for middle-grade students, making a complex historical event accessible and relatable through the eyes of a fifth-grader. Many note the book's success in addressing themes of community, diversity, and friendship. Parents and teachers highlight the book's value as an educational tool, with one teacher noting "it opened meaningful discussions with my students who had no context for 9/11." Common criticisms include: - Pacing feels slow in the first half - Some historical details are oversimplified - A few readers found the protagonist's initial lack of 9/11 knowledge unrealistic Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (3,900+ ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (450+ ratings) Common Sense Media: 4/5 Several reviewers mention the book works best when paired with additional historical context. One librarian wrote: "The story serves as an introduction to 9/11, but students need supplemental materials to fully understand the event's impact."

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The Memory of Things by Gae Polisner A teenager helps a traumatized survivor during the aftermath of the Twin Towers collapse while dealing with his own family's connection to the tragedy.

All We Have Left by Wendy Mills Two stories connect across time as a teen uncovers the truth about her brother's death in the Twin Towers while another girl fights to survive inside the World Trade Center on September 11.

Just a Drop of Water by Kerry O'Malley Cerra A middle school boy faces prejudice and tests of friendship in his Florida community during the months following the September 11 attacks.

🏙️ Though the main character, Dèja, is learning about 9/11 as history, author Jewell Parker Rhodes wrote this book after experiencing the attacks firsthand from her home in Pittsburgh on that day. 🎓 The book was inspired by Rhodes' visits to schools, where she discovered many students were not being taught about 9/11 in a way that connected them emotionally to this pivotal historical event. 🏫 The story addresses childhood homelessness through Dèja's family living in a shelter, reflecting a real issue that affects approximately 2.5 million children in the United States each year. 🤝 The three main characters—Dèja, Ben, and Sabeen—represent different cultural backgrounds (African American, Mexican American, and Muslim American), showcasing New York City's diversity. 🗺️ The Brooklyn setting is particularly significant, as residents there had a direct view of the Twin Towers falling across the river, and many local families were personally affected by the tragedy.