{My thoughts} – This book was a difficult one for me to read. I remember this day so well. The day the attack happened I was a senior in high school. I’d woken up from a late start at school. I logged onto my computer and I was flooded with messages from friends telling me to turn on the tv, any channel would do. I did and that’s when I’d seen the reply of the first tower being hit. About ten minutes into watching the broadcast I’d seen the second tower getting hit. I didn’t even know what to think or what it had all meant at the time. When I’d been able to finally take my eyes off the screen I’d gotten my son ready for daycare and myself ready for school. It was a long day at school. Every classroom had the footage playing on the in class televisions. It’s a day that I remember clearly and vividly, one I don’t think I could ever forget.

Lucas is a young boy that loves to play football. He gets hurt during a game and his mom and dad take him to see a specialist. That specialist tells him that he doesn’t think he should continue to play and his parents side with the doctor. Lucas doesn’t like that so the next morning he goes to find his Uncle Benny the guy that got him involved with football to begin with. While he and Uncle Benny are talking the first tower is hit right in front of their eyes. I’d have to say that’s a lot to take in for anyone to see. I completely get all the thoughts that raced through Lucas mind as it was happening and after.

The firefighters all headed to to the scene and left Lucas behind at the firehouse. He needed to keep busy so he started cleaning up the dishes and stuff. A means to be helpful. As he was doing that the second tower was hit. At that point he didn’t want to be alone at the firehouse anymore and he started out to go look for the firefighters at the scene. He was hoping to find his dad and Uncle Benny there. His dad actually finds him and then they go on a sort of adventure to try and stay alive throughout the rest of the events that unfolded that day.

It’s a lot to have to take in and a lot to have to accept. So many people had died on that day, so many people had witnessed what had happened that day. I’m not sure how I would have been able to cope had I actually been there in New York when all the events unfolded. It was hard enough being states away watching it all on the news.

This is a really well written book and one that I think many children can benefit from reading. I especially like all the information that is listed towards the end of the book. All the factual information that helps to better explain the situation and things that had happened on that day. Why what happened that day had happened in a sense.

I look forward to reading the next book in the series very soon! ( )

Adventure

Aidan has it

good - Katrina

Good and engaging historical fiction introduction to 9/11 for middle grade readers. ( )