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thereadingcountess 's review for:
Towers Falling
by Jewell Parker Rhodes
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."