September 11, 2001 (Cornerstones of Freedom, Second Series) - Softcover

Andrew Santella is the author of several nonfiction books for children.

Grade 4-6-This title follows a prescribed format, allowing for a less emotional presentation of the day's events than some of the other titles available on the topic for this age group, such as Mary Gow's Attack on America (Enslow, 2002). Students will find basic facts about the three attack sites, the investigation, the president's role and whereabouts that day (including excerpts from his speech to the nation), the war on Afghanistan, anthrax, and the six-month anniversary memorials. Most of the large, color photographs are of the sites before the destruction or relevant people or related subjects, e.g., Laura Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, Osama bin Laden, the Empire State Building, the U.S. Capitol, the Qu'ran. Sidebars present information about topics such as the Pentagon, Air Force One, and the history of terrorism. The title is carefully constructed to show strong leaders and sunny days. Reference aids include a brief (and weak) listing of books and Web sites. The layout is a bit crowded and awkward, but the content is serviceable. If September 11th becomes a report topic in elementary schools, this would fill the bill. For families and children seeking to understand or explore, a better choice would be the multifaceted and well-designed A Nation Challenged: A Visual History of 9/11 and Its Aftermath: Young Reader's Edition (Scholastic, 2002).
Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library
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