Friday, September 10, 2021

Fast Five Fiction: Remember September 11th

It's Friday and time for Fast Five Fiction! Each week I share five fiction books: new books, notable books, books around a common theme. As tomorrow is the 20th anniversary of September 11th it seemed fitting to share some stories of the events of September 1, 2001. If you keep reading to the bottom there's a photo filled nonfiction recommendation and a link to the website for the National Day of Service and Remembrance. May we never forget.

Click the title to be directed to the book in our catalog. Book descriptions are from Goodreads.

Towers Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes

When her fifth-grade teacher hints that a series of lessons about home and community will culminate with one big answer about two tall towers once visible outside their classroom window, Deja can't help but feel confused. She sets off on a journey of discovery, with new friends Ben and Sabeen by her side. But just as she gets closer to answering big questions about who she is, what America means, and how communities can grow (and heal), she uncovers new questions, too. Like, why does Pop get so angry when she brings up anything about the towers?


The journey of the Callery pear tree rescued from Ground Zero and replanted ten years later is presented alongside a wordless story following a girl and her firefighter uncle who is a 9/11 hero. Includes author's notes.


Ground Zero by Alan Gratz

It's September 11, 2001. Brandon, a 9-year-old boy, goes to work for the day with his dad . . . at the World Trade Center in New York City. When two planes hit the towers, Brandon and his father are trapped inside a fiery nightmare as terror and confusion swirl around them. Can they escape -- and what will the world be like when they do?
In present-day Afghanistan, Reshmina is an 11-year-old girl who is used to growing up in the shadow of war, but she has dreams of peace and unity. When she ends up harboring a wounded young American soldier, she and her entire family are put in mortal danger. But Reshmina also learns something surprising about the roots of this endless war.


I Survived the Attacks of September 11, 2001 by Lauren Tarshis

On the day that shocks the world, one boy just wants to find his family.
The only thing Lucas loves more than football is his Uncle Benny, his dad's best friend at the fire department where they both work. Benny taught Lucas everything about football. So when Lucas's parents decide the sport is too dangerous and he needs to quit, Lucas has to talk to his biggest fan.So the next morning, Lucas takes the train to the city instead of the bus to school. It's a bright, beautiful day in New York. But just as Lucas arrives at his uncle's firehouse, everything changes -- and nothing will ever be the same again.


All We Have Left by Wendy Mills

A haunting and heart-wrenching story of two girls, two time periods, and the one event that changed their lives—and the world—forever.
Now:
Sixteen-year-old Jesse is used to living with the echoes of the past. Her older brother died in the September 11th attacks, and her dad has filled their home with anger and grief. When Jesse gets caught up with the wrong crowd, one momentary hate-fueled decision turns her life upside down. The only way to make amends is to face the past, starting Jesse on a journey that will reveal the truth about how her brother died.
Then:
In 2001, sixteen-year-old Alia is proud to be Muslim... it's being a teenager that she finds difficult. After being grounded for a stupid mistake, Alia is determined to show her parents that that they must respect her choices. She'll start by confronting her father at his office in downtown Manhattan, putting Alia in danger she never could have imagined. When the planes collide into the Twin Towers Alia is trapped inside one of the buildings. In the final hours she meets a boy who will change everything for her as the flames rage around them...
Interweaving stories past and present, full of heartbreak and hope, two girls come of age in an instant, learning that both hate and love have the power to reverberate into the future and beyond.



If you'd like to check out a nonfiction book to remember or discuss with your family I'd recommend: A Nation Challenged: A Visual History of 9/11 and its Aftermath, Young Readers Edition from the New York Times. Or look through the website for the National Day of Service and Remembrance.





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