Frank, a reporter for Time
magazine, opens his informative if uneven narrative with a chilling account of his experiences on September 11, when he rushed from his Brooklyn Heights home to the scene of the disaster just after the first of the Twin Towers was hit. Using a question-and-answer format, the author then effectively distills for young readers information about the Middle East (especially Afghanistan), Islam, Islamism, the Taliban, Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda. He also discusses terrorist groups' hatred of America and their campaigns against it. Frank's writing is at times confusing or sloppy. He notes, "Many people said the whole world changed on September 11th. It didn't. America woke up in those two hours and suddenly saw the world in a different light." Yet on the following page, this statement appears: "On September 11th, the world changed in two hours." However, the book delves into pertinent topics in reasonable depth. Readers may find here a useful framework for examining the possible motives for the terrorist attacks and the U.S. government's subsequent responses. Illustrations include photographs and maps; final artwork not seen by PW. Ages 12-up. (Aug.)
