Talking about 9/11

We’ve all been thinking a lot about the events of September 11, 2001 this week. On Tuesday morning New York area librarians came into the office to hear about our fall list and I had the opportunity to talk to them about America Is Under Attack, the story of 9/11 and the fourth book in Don Brown’s Actual Times series. Like Don’s other books, he narrates the events of the day in an honest, straightforward manner, without bias or political agenda. His direct storytelling style is complimented by his dramatic and evocative art. See below for a few of my favorite spreads that capture the emotion of the day.

The death of Osama Bin Laden has saturated the news and continues to dominate conversations—yesterday we spent half of our Roaring Brook editorial meeting discussing the media coverage of the events. And the librarians I talked to on Tuesday told me that parents and teachers are looking for a way to talk to kids about the significance of Bin Laden’s death. What Don has done in America is Under Attack is not only tell the story of September 11 in a way that is accessible to children but also, with an endnote that contextualizes the day, give adults the language and resources to discuss the tragedy with children. The book will be out this August in time for 10th anniversary remembrances. I hope that it’s useful for you in your classrooms, libraries, and around the kitchen table in your conversations with the kids in your life.

 - Katherine Jacobs, Associate Editor, Roaring Brook Press