The Red Bandanna (Young Readers Adaptation) Format: Trade Paper

Discover the inspirational true story of Welles Crowther, the man with the red bandanna who saved many lives on September 11, 2001, in this young adult adaptation of Tom Rinaldi’s New York Times bestselling book The Red Bandanna.

Winner of the Christopher Award
An ILA-CBC Children’s Choices Book
A NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Book

“A moving, deeply felt tribute to a courageous individual who sacrificed his life to save others.”—Kirkus Reviews

Welles Crowther did not see himself as hero. He was just an ordinary kid who played sports, volunteered at his local fire department, went to college, and eventually started his career on Wall Street. Through it all, he always kept a red bandanna in his pocket—a gift from his father.

On September 11, 2001, Welles was working on the 104th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center when the Twin Towers were attacked. That day, Welles made a fearless choice—and in doing so, saved as many as 18 lives before losing his own. The survivors he saved didn’t know his name, but one of them remembered a single detail clearly: the man was wearing a red bandanna. Welles Crowther was a hero.

In this accessible young readers’ adaptation of his New York Times bestselling book, award-winning ESPN reporter Tom Rinaldi brings Welles's story of selflessness and compassion to life. This powerful true account about making a difference through action is an inspiring way to help the post-9/11 generation understand the meaning of this historic day through the eyes of one young man.

Tom Rinaldi has been a national correspondent at ESPN since 2002. A recipient of ten national Sports Emmy Awards and five Edward R. Murrow Awards, he covers human-interest stories across all sports, including his famous feature story about Welles Crowther. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, and a native of Brooklyn, Tom now lives in New Jersey with his wife, Dianne, and their two children, Jack and Tess.