Brown's approach is solid and journalistic, emphasizing the facts rather than causes or effects. The text is continuous, weaving the events of the morning with the experiences of some of the victims and survivors. Illustrated with line-and-wash pictures that are forthright but never sensational, the book is superbly focused and completely honest. An author's note supplies grim statistics. Bib.

Odd to think that the audience for this book consists mainly of people who had not yet been born on September 11th ten years ago, but even to them this tragedy must seem closer than the subjects of Brown's previous Actual Times books: 9/11 began a war we are still fighting. The approach is solid and journalistic, emphasizing the facts of what happened on that day rather than considerations of its causes or effects, and the account is chronological, moving from 8:46 a.m., when the North Tower was struck, to 9:03 a.m. (the South Tower), to 9:37 a.m. (the Pentagon), to 10:03 a.m., when the fourth plane "smashed into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania," and beyond to the collapse of the Towers. The text is continuous, weaving the events of the morning with the experiences of some of the victims and survivors: "Eighty-nine-year-old Moe Lipson climbed down eighty-eight floors, walked a mile, and then hailed a cab to take him home." (If there is any larger statement being made in this book, it is one about the arbitrary nature of fate.) Illustrated on every spread with line-and-wash pictures that are forthright but never sensational, the book is superbly focused and completely honest. An author's note supplies grim statistics; a bibliography and source notes for quotations are appended. roger sutton

Revisiting a day that changed the United States, this book takes readers through events at the three principal sites: the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The bulk of the book follows the events in New York, almost minute-by-minute. Filled with personal stories, the text is clear and includes quotes from eyewitnesses. Illustrations appear on almost every page, usually as two-page spreads that capture the enormity of the events as well as the personal impact. This book offers a sober account of the events, and does not shy away from the facts of death. It also includes some of the miraculous survival stories. While it would be a good source for supplemental material in social studies, the book would also be an interesting selection for independent reading for students who are drawn to true-life stories. An author's note and source notes are included. Bibliography. Mary Northrup, Reference Librarian, Metropolitan Community College-Maple Woods, Kansas City, Missouri [Editor's Note: Available in e-book format.] RECOMMENDED

Explaining the events of September 11, even 10 years afterward, is a task fraught with emotion. Brown's sturdy yet empathetic tone seems just right. Winnowing through the day's thousands of stories to focus on a representative few, he conveys suspense while maintaining respect, and pays understated homage to the heroism of the rescuers. Individuals who were inside the Twin Towers that day, or who went in to help-fire captain Jay Jonas, who led a team aiding an older woman whose bad feet made their exit agonizingly slow; Chris Young, who was trapped in an elevator and walked out unscathed-are studied in clear and telling detail. The worst moments-"at 9:59 AM the South Tower came down"-are recorded with journalistic calm. Brown's courtroom-style artwork draws little attention to itself; he focuses on the anguished faces of spectators as they watch from the ground, pans across the Manhattan skyline, and portrays a crew of firefighters huddled in a corner, engulfed in smoke. An invaluable resource for educators and parents, it's also unexpectedly comforting: "We got through it," Brown seems to say, "and we are still here." Ages 9-12. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Gr 2-4-The events of that fateful September day are told through solid factual reporting and stylized watercolors. Brown's art vividly conveys the devastation and horrific loss, as well as the selfless heroism and valor of the responders and everyday citizens in this moving, accessible account for young readers. (Sept.) (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.