The title of this timely anthology emphasizes the connection between the 9-11 terrorist attacks and the 911 emergency assistance phone number, offering both teens and adults thoughtful, provocative literature that may help with preliminary discussions and perspective on this difficult subject. Twenty-five preeminent authors for young adults were invited to contribute to the volume (all donated their work), with a resulting collection of essays, stories, and poems divided into four sections: Healing, Searching for History, Asking Why? Why? Why?, and Reacting and Recovering. Small illustrations by Chris Raschka (painted on Sept. 11) are included with each section. Katherine Paterson’s graceful introduction is followed by her son David Paterson’s spare, moving essay on his experiences as a volunteer at Ground Zero. Other highlights include a poignant story from Suzanne Fisher Staples set in Pakistan, a perceptive piece by Aronson and Marina Budhos on hatred toward the US, and an unforgettable poem by Sonya Sones titled “Voices.” In her essay, poet Naomi Shihab Nye offers this advice: “Use words. It is the most helpful thing I have learned in my life.” The powerful words of this volume offer specific ways to look at the attacks: here are other tragedies that have happened in the past, here are heroic people who show the basic core of goodness in humanity, here is the anger, here the fear, here the calm, eventual acceptance of tragic events as part of our world. This should serve a much wider audience than the young adults at whom it is aimed. Portions of it would make an excellent choice in the inevitable memorial services that will be held this September. The entire anthology could serve as the basis for seminars, writing classes, or even a college course. A teacher’s guide will be available online, and a portion of the profits from the anthology will be donated to a scholarship fund for relatives of the victims. (Nonfiction. 12+)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2002
ISBN: 0-8126-2659-1
Page Count: 192
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2002
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense.
Everyone believes that Salil Singh killed his girlfriend, Andrea Bell, five years ago—except Pippa Fitz-Amobi.
Pip has known and liked Sal since childhood; he’d supported her when she was being bullied in middle school. For her senior capstone project, Pip researches the disappearance of former Fairview High student Andie, last seen on April 18, 2014, by her younger sister, Becca. The original investigation concluded with most of the evidence pointing to Sal, who was found dead in the woods, apparently by suicide. Andie’s body was never recovered, and Sal was assumed by most to be guilty of abduction and murder. Unable to ignore the gaps in the case, Pip sets out to prove Sal’s innocence, beginning with interviewing his younger brother, Ravi. With his help, Pip digs deeper, unveiling unsavory facts about Andie and the real reason Sal’s friends couldn’t provide him with an alibi. But someone is watching, and Pip may be in more danger than she realizes. Pip’s sleuthing is both impressive and accessible. Online articles about the case and interview transcripts are provided throughout, and Pip’s capstone logs offer insights into her thought processes as new evidence and suspects arise. Jackson’s debut is well-executed and surprises readers with a connective web of interesting characters and motives. Pip and Andie are white, and Sal is of Indian descent.
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense. (Mystery. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-9848-9636-0
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Oct. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
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