School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-8-A serviceable offering. Lalley covers the events of September 11th and provides brief background on the World Trade Center, Islamic extremism, and Osama bin Laden. He also comments on the impact the terrorists' attacks have had both here and abroad. While the author's research is sound, there are a number of grammar mistakes and some run-on sentences. Many words are defined in context; there is also a short glossary but some may find it lacking. Major topics related to the attacks, such as the Pentagon, do not appear in the index. The full-color photos, which include pictures of lower Manhattan before and after the attack, the Pentagon, emergency workers, and related events, add to the emotional impact. Unfortunately, a number are grainy. A sobering world map highlights every country that lost citizens in the World Trade Center.-Lisa Mulvenna, Clinton-Macomb Public Library, Clinton Township, MI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Illustrated with adequate photos, this rushed, superficial overview describes the events of September 11, 2001, and touches on topics such as religious extremism, the history of the World Trade Center, and the recovery effort. More trenchant information may be available in periodicals, but report writers who need book-length volumes to supplement their bibliographies will be grateful for this early effort on the subject. Bib., glos., ind. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Gr. 4-7. This compact book does an excellent job of explaining the terrorist attacks on September 11, but equally important is its presentation of the background that led to the events. Lalley begins as planes fly into the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, and crash into a field in Pennsylvania. With alacrity, he goes on to explore previous terrorist attacks against the U.S. and the reasons behind them, the war in Afghanistan, and the history of the World Trade Center. He also looks ahead at the impact of terrorism in the U.S., and relates two personal stories from Ground Zero. The most interesting, and potentially controversial, part is the chapter about Islam; careful and politically correct, Lalley pulls no punches about the Islamic radicals involved. In addition, he presents good information about problems in the Middle East, though a mention of the Holocaust as a reason for the establishment of a Jewish state might have been helpful. Because this focuses largely on events within a specific time frame, it won't date too quickly. The color photos are crisp though sometimes small. A list of Web sites and a very brief bibliography round out the text. --Ilene Cooper
