About the series: The I Survived series is geared toward elementary school children and is based on a real life historical events (in this case, 9/11). Fictitious characters and plot lines are written to educate kids about these events. The mix of fact and fiction make the series both educational and entertaining and plenty of action and drama is on every page, making this gripping series compulsively readable both for boys and girls. These books are appealing to even the the most reluctant boy reader, from 3rd to 5h grade. You do not have to read this series in order, as every book is based on a different historical event with different characters.
About this book: I Survived the Attacks of September 11th, 2001 recounts a boy's experiences in Manhattan the day of the attacks. His uncle and father are firefighters, and while he is visiting them, the planes hit the towers. Lucas decribes watching the plane flying low and straight into the tower as if it was a purposeful attack. He also describes the kind of explosion he felt when one of the towers fell and his concern for the people still in the tower. He is worried for his dad and uncle's safety, who return mildly injured but okay. It is mentioned that some firefighters did not make it out, and died as heroes for our nation. While the author provides an accurate description of the day's chaos, there are not many specific traumatic details. In the back of the book, the author includes a note expressing her feelings about writing about 9/11. She did not want to include this event in the I Survived series, but after receiving thousands of letters from children, she decided to write about it--carefully. There is also a Q and A section in the back of the book about 9/11 that would serve as a great platform for parents and children to have a discussion about this upsetting but important part of our history.
