America Under Attack (America at War)

Describes the events surrounding the attacks on America, including the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Petagon on September 11, 2001, and discusses the war on terrorism and the changes theses attacks brought about.

Reviewed with Scott Marquette's War of 1812.

Gr. 4-7. The America at War series is designed for middle-graders, and it works very well in terms of both design and information. Large print on glossy pages, plenty of color photographs, and clear, simple text invite readers into both books. Marquette writes simply but supplies children with facts set firmly into context. In America under Attack, he begins with 9/11 and then presents a chronology of prior events of terrorism against the U.S. He goes on to describe the war in Afghanistan and changes in American life. Even within the limits of 48 pages, he is able to point out some of the dissent in American policy concerning the Patriot Act. The book 1812 does a good job of introducing a war that most people know very little about and of setting up the backdrop that led to the war. Both books contain a glossary and a brief bibliography. Unfortunately, the bibliography in Attack does not contain any of the excellent new children's books now out on the subject. Ilene Cooper
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