ikuo1000's review against another edition
4.0
This is my first I Survived book. It occurs to me that after I read more books, I might want to change this book's rating, relative to other books in the series.
I wanted to start with September 11, 2001, because this book's whole existence intrigued me. I can understand writing a historical fiction for children centered around the Battle of Gettysburg, set in 1863. But every adult in America has the shocking and tragic events of September 11 seared into their memories, even their hearts. How is the author going to pivot that into material for a children's book?
Even before reading this book, I recognized the need for something like this. The events of September 11 are now so much a part of the fabric of America that it's easy to forget that children today may not have any idea what actually happened. They hear "September 11" and know that something bad happened. We owe it to our children to at some point explain why that date matters.
So, I was pleased to find that this book is not only age-appropriate in its language, but the bigger 9/11 story is couched in a more personal story about a boy and his love for football. The language is matter-of-fact, yet there is warmth in the characters. Still, the gravity of the day comes through. At times, the narrative is downright intense - especially if your own memories start to kick in. But the boy in the book, named Lucas, is never really in a position of feeling completely lost or alone, so there's safety in learning about the events through his story.
If half-stars were allowed, I would actually have given this book 3 1/2 stars, mainly because of the way in which it abruptly stopped the story once it was established that Lucas was safe. The final chapter filled in the gaps with broad strokes, but I think much more could have been written in regards to the second tower falling, and the challenges Lucas would have faced in returning home that day. My son reminded me that the book couldn't be too long, and I admit I thought that the chapters were well-paced. On the one hand it seems like a lost opportunity to write more, but on the other hand, I can understand not wanting to prolong the disaster, especially given the young audience.
I really appreciated the author's note at the end explaining "Why I Wrote About September 11". She answered a lot of the questions I had myself - regarding characters in the book as well as why she wrote it in the first place - and I appreciated her honesty. She revealed additional facts as well as some of her own personal experiences.
The book includes two additional sections at the end, one about the "Time Line for the Morning of September 11, 2001" and another on "Questions and Answers about 9/11".
Overall, a good read, and an appropriate introduction to 9/11 for children.
I wanted to start with September 11, 2001, because this book's whole existence intrigued me. I can understand writing a historical fiction for children centered around the Battle of Gettysburg, set in 1863. But every adult in America has the shocking and tragic events of September 11 seared into their memories, even their hearts. How is the author going to pivot that into material for a children's book?
Even before reading this book, I recognized the need for something like this. The events of September 11 are now so much a part of the fabric of America that it's easy to forget that children today may not have any idea what actually happened. They hear "September 11" and know that something bad happened. We owe it to our children to at some point explain why that date matters.
So, I was pleased to find that this book is not only age-appropriate in its language, but the bigger 9/11 story is couched in a more personal story about a boy and his love for football. The language is matter-of-fact, yet there is warmth in the characters. Still, the gravity of the day comes through. At times, the narrative is downright intense - especially if your own memories start to kick in. But the boy in the book, named Lucas, is never really in a position of feeling completely lost or alone, so there's safety in learning about the events through his story.
If half-stars were allowed, I would actually have given this book 3 1/2 stars, mainly because of the way in which it abruptly stopped the story once it was established that Lucas was safe. The final chapter filled in the gaps with broad strokes, but I think much more could have been written in regards to the second tower falling, and the challenges Lucas would have faced in returning home that day. My son reminded me that the book couldn't be too long, and I admit I thought that the chapters were well-paced. On the one hand it seems like a lost opportunity to write more, but on the other hand, I can understand not wanting to prolong the disaster, especially given the young audience.
I really appreciated the author's note at the end explaining "Why I Wrote About September 11". She answered a lot of the questions I had myself - regarding characters in the book as well as why she wrote it in the first place - and I appreciated her honesty. She revealed additional facts as well as some of her own personal experiences.
The book includes two additional sections at the end, one about the "Time Line for the Morning of September 11, 2001" and another on "Questions and Answers about 9/11".
Overall, a good read, and an appropriate introduction to 9/11 for children.
cdb2453's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
For a kid's graphic novel, I though there was a good balance of positivity and hopefulness while also explaining the horrors of Sept. 11th
abigailbat's review against another edition
3.0
Read for our Reading Wildly adventure month.
The reader is immediately plunged into the action and the book's completely plot-oriented. It's fast paced with almost all of the book happening on the morning of September 11 between the first plane hitting and the first tower collapsing. Author Lauren Tarshis manages to squeeze an impressive number of facts into the book without being completely didactic. An author's note is included, explaining why she chose to write about September 11 in her series*. A timeline of events and a question-and-answer section provide additional information about the 9/11 attacks.
This would be a great high-interest title to hand to kids who are in upper elementary or even middle school and reading at a lower reading level. Because the books are based on true events and contain information about these events, they may appeal to kids who like learning about history. The story is definitely high-drama.
Readalikes: AMERICA IS UNDER ATTACK by Don Brown
Maybe other books dealing with tragic disasters like The Titanic, etc.
*Um, personally I found Tarshis's story of being ON A PLANE TO NEW YORK maybe more compelling than the actual book, but that's very much an adult perspective - Tarshis's point of view is not one I've heard before
The reader is immediately plunged into the action and the book's completely plot-oriented. It's fast paced with almost all of the book happening on the morning of September 11 between the first plane hitting and the first tower collapsing. Author Lauren Tarshis manages to squeeze an impressive number of facts into the book without being completely didactic. An author's note is included, explaining why she chose to write about September 11 in her series*. A timeline of events and a question-and-answer section provide additional information about the 9/11 attacks.
This would be a great high-interest title to hand to kids who are in upper elementary or even middle school and reading at a lower reading level. Because the books are based on true events and contain information about these events, they may appeal to kids who like learning about history. The story is definitely high-drama.
Readalikes: AMERICA IS UNDER ATTACK by Don Brown
Maybe other books dealing with tragic disasters like The Titanic, etc.
*Um, personally I found Tarshis's story of being ON A PLANE TO NEW YORK maybe more compelling than the actual book, but that's very much an adult perspective - Tarshis's point of view is not one I've heard before
lyn_z's review against another edition
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
panda_incognito's review against another edition
4.0
I read this weeks ago, but felt too overwhelmed to write a review. This graphic novel is very intense, and I cried through the entire second half, because it brought back the terror of 9/11 so vividly, through the eyes of a firefighter's son who is there in Manhattan. The story is very well-written, meaningful, and honest without ever sensationalizing the horror, and I appreciated the author's note at the end, where Lauren Tarshis wrote about her initial reluctance to cover this story and about her own 9/11 experience. There is also a historical note with additional information for kids.
This graphic novel is incredibly visceral and powerful. I was interested in reading this because of the visual medium, even though I had never read the chapter book it was adapted from. I really appreciated the authentic, moving portrayal of the traumatic event, and the boy's reactions all seemed very authentic. However, I would definitely give this book a trigger warning for anyone who experienced loss during 9/11, and for kids who are sensitive to violence and horror. None of the depictions in this book are gory, but they don't hold back, either.
It feels weird to give a trigger warning for sensitive kids, since I'm the most sensitive kid I've ever known, and I watched 9/11 unfold on TV shortly before my fifth birthday. Still, parents and teachers need to consider kids' temperaments and life experiences before handing them this book, because it is INTENSE. If someone isn't sure if their kid can handle this, I would encourage them to start with the chapter book. Granted, my younger sister said that reading the chapter book traumatized her when she was a child, even though she enjoyed the rest of the I Survived series, so some kids won't even want to read that. Still, the visual content hugely increases the impact and the feeling of secondary trauma, and even though this book is excellent, it is important for young readers and the adults in their lives to approach this carefully and perhaps process it together.
This graphic novel is incredibly visceral and powerful. I was interested in reading this because of the visual medium, even though I had never read the chapter book it was adapted from. I really appreciated the authentic, moving portrayal of the traumatic event, and the boy's reactions all seemed very authentic. However, I would definitely give this book a trigger warning for anyone who experienced loss during 9/11, and for kids who are sensitive to violence and horror. None of the depictions in this book are gory, but they don't hold back, either.
It feels weird to give a trigger warning for sensitive kids, since I'm the most sensitive kid I've ever known, and I watched 9/11 unfold on TV shortly before my fifth birthday. Still, parents and teachers need to consider kids' temperaments and life experiences before handing them this book, because it is INTENSE. If someone isn't sure if their kid can handle this, I would encourage them to start with the chapter book. Granted, my younger sister said that reading the chapter book traumatized her when she was a child, even though she enjoyed the rest of the I Survived series, so some kids won't even want to read that. Still, the visual content hugely increases the impact and the feeling of secondary trauma, and even though this book is excellent, it is important for young readers and the adults in their lives to approach this carefully and perhaps process it together.
daringreader13's review
emotional
informative
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0