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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
Incredibly powerful story, and a different perspective on September 11th - a narrator who wasn’t even born at the time. Especially since I just visited the 9/11 Memorial in NYC for the first time last month, the descriptions took me back and gave me goosebumps. I absolutely love everything Jewell Parker Rhodes has written, and highly recommend for ages 9 and up.
A great middle grade novel that tackles the tragedy of 9/11 and its impact on survivors. A powerful and compelling read.
How do you teach 9/11 to kids who were born after the attacks?
Wow. A difficult topic, written in a raw and honest voice. I was in 8th grade in 2001 and have vivid memories of that time, so I found this tough to read and very emotional.
Wow. A difficult topic, written in a raw and honest voice. I was in 8th grade in 2001 and have vivid memories of that time, so I found this tough to read and very emotional.
I had to read this for school, and it does its job. It serves as a way to introduce students to this tragedy, while also providing teachers and students the chance to experience the complex emotions that surround people who are going through terrible things. Unfortunately, I did lose interest in it half way through as it seemed to slow down, but the beginning was really strong.
I wish I had read the Author's Note before embarking on this story because her motivation made so much more sense once I did. I felt that so many times throughout Desi's story that there were pieces to a puzzle that were lost though I can see that middle school students may not be asking so many questions as I was (mental health advocacy being paramount in my mind).
Grades 4 and up.
Grades 4 and up.
Quick, but important read about a time in our history that is incomprehensible-to those who survived it, to those who watched it play out live on TV, and especially to those who were born after the Towers fell. Rhodes writes in a sparse, poetic manner. Ripe with middle grade platitudes, this is a necessity to help explain the big picture of why 9-11 is important then as well as now. Towers Falling is about diversity-in books, in living in a free society, and in educating our youth. I look forward to reading this one with my students and tying it into our year-long study of immigration. Highly recommended.
"Home. It's where we come from. Who we are."
"...what's home got to do with that skyline?"
"That's our journey this month. Figuring it all out. Home is our starting point for connecting to the past."
"Family is another name for relationships."
"Social unit-'a unit (such as an individual, a family, or a group) of a society.' ...Everyone's part of something larger."
"It's sad," says 'Stasia. "One person dies and it ripples outward."
"...I welcomed you because that's what Americans do."
"Sharing ideas is good."
Book learning and life learning. Though he looks soft, he's already wised up that life can be hard."
I have to learn this. It's part of my parents' world. My family's. Which means it's part of me, isn't it?
It's been weeks since we've acted silly. Is this growing up? Less silliness? Maybe I'm already grown, even though my body's small. All I know is, I'm more grown than my parents and teachers think I am.
My pop didn't go to war, but he's been disappearing just the same.
...Immigrants. People coming for the American Dream.
Nothing can live without water. "It's a metaphor," I say. "Like we study in stories, poems. Water is life."
"Tears," Ben replies, layering charcoal lines. "Constantly falling."
"Pop, I don't think it's just jobs and money. I think maybe the terrorists hate us because we believe in freedom. For everybody. Freedom to be who you are and have different religions. Isn't that why folks immigrate? That's what makes our society family. America, home. Even though we're all different, we're the same. Americans."
"Home. It's where we come from. Who we are."
"...what's home got to do with that skyline?"
"That's our journey this month. Figuring it all out. Home is our starting point for connecting to the past."
"Family is another name for relationships."
"Social unit-'a unit (such as an individual, a family, or a group) of a society.' ...Everyone's part of something larger."
"It's sad," says 'Stasia. "One person dies and it ripples outward."
"...I welcomed you because that's what Americans do."
"Sharing ideas is good."
Book learning and life learning. Though he looks soft, he's already wised up that life can be hard."
I have to learn this. It's part of my parents' world. My family's. Which means it's part of me, isn't it?
It's been weeks since we've acted silly. Is this growing up? Less silliness? Maybe I'm already grown, even though my body's small. All I know is, I'm more grown than my parents and teachers think I am.
My pop didn't go to war, but he's been disappearing just the same.
...Immigrants. People coming for the American Dream.
Nothing can live without water. "It's a metaphor," I say. "Like we study in stories, poems. Water is life."
"Tears," Ben replies, layering charcoal lines. "Constantly falling."
"Pop, I don't think it's just jobs and money. I think maybe the terrorists hate us because we believe in freedom. For everybody. Freedom to be who you are and have different religions. Isn't that why folks immigrate? That's what makes our society family. America, home. Even though we're all different, we're the same. Americans."
Towers falling is about learning about 9/11 from the perspective of a girl born after 9/11. Definitely for younger audiences, easy read though.
Talk about an emotional rollercoaster. I think having lived through the experience intensified the reading but the author does this tragic event justice. I loved every page and enjoyed getting to know Deja, Ben, and Sabeen. Their understanding and kindness is something every person should know.
i thought it depicted homelessness and trauma really well while also gentle enough for older kids, but it turned a little into america propaganda at the end, saying america stands for freedom over and over which i’m not sure if i buy