I
remember where I was on September 11, 2001 and how the shock and horror of the event rocked
my life, even though I was hundreds of miles away. When I read this book, I appreciated how the author
tried to show the impact of this event on everyday life even for those not
immediately connected with it.
Ask
anyone: September 11, 2001, was serene and lovely, a perfect day—until a plane
struck the World Trade Center.
But
right now it is a few days earlier, and four kids in different parts of the
country are going about their lives. Sergio, who lives in Brooklyn, is
struggling to come to terms with the absentee father he hates and the
grandmother he loves. Will’s father is gone, too, killed in a car accident that
has left the family reeling. Naheed has never before felt uncomfortable about
being Muslim, but at her new school she’s getting funny looks because of the
head scarf she wears. Aimee is starting a new school in a new city and missing
her mom, who has to fly to New York on business.
These
four don’t know one another, but their lives are about to intersect in ways
they never could have imagined. Award-winning author Nora Raleigh Baskin weaves
together their stories into an unforgettable novel about that seemingly perfect
September day—the day our world changed forever.
Nine, Ten: A
September 11 Story was
written by Nora Raleigh Baskin and published by Atheneum Books for Young
Readers in 2016.
My thoughts as a reader and
teacher:
At
first, I didn’t know what to expect from this story. The separateness of the
main characters’ stories surprised me, but once I settled into the rhythm of
the book, I was interested in each one of them and what might happen. I really
loved how these characters were so different, yet each one was affected by the
events in their own way.
I
liked the way this story didn’t focus on the raw and gritty details of 9/11,
but instead focused on the impact to these very different character’s lives. Because
of the many different issues and challenges for these characters (e.g., bullying,
loss, making friends, individual differences), this would make a good book for
a discussion group or read aloud.
My thoughts as a writer:
I
was really interested in the way this book was structured from four different
perspectives, and I especially liked the small connections between the four
main characters at the beginning of the story—and then the way it circled
around, connecting them again. It’s a good mentor text for anyone writing a
story told from several different points of view.
Opening Line:
“Everyone
will mention the same thing, and if they don’t, when you ask them, they will
remember. It was a perfect day.”
Quotes:
“It’s
not about what makes you feel better or worse. If it’s the right thing to do
and you know it, you should do it.”
“It
seemed like a silly speck of sand in a sandbox that was getting bigger and
bigger with every frightful story that flew from parent to kid, from brother to
sister, from friend to friend, from one kid to another.”
Other interesting info:
Nora
Raleigh Baskin is the author of several middle grade novels, including Ruby on the Outside, The Truth About My Bat Mitzvah, Anything But Typical, and The Summer Before Boys.
This
book has a curriculum guide with activities and discussion questions.
Sounds like a great story to help kids today understand this important day in our history. Would be interested to see how their lives interconnected. Thanks for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I were discussing yesterday how difficult it is to believe that it's been 15 years since 9/11. Our kids were still in middle school then and I remember their confusion and fear. I've heard about this book recently and it definitely sounds like a must-read. Plus, I love it when different characters become connected in unexpected ways.
ReplyDeleteGood to see another book out there for kids who weren't born yet or too young to understand the events of 9/11. I just reviewed Towers Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes. I see similarities in the characters and the plots. Great review. I'll have to check this one out. Great resources for teachers in the classroom.
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