Elementary students today have no recollection of what happened on September 11, 2001. Many were far too young and many weren’t even born yet. They all have heard the story before, but think of it as just that. They don’t understand the real meaning being what happened, and I would not want them to at such a young age. But, because 9/11 is an event that changed our nation’s history, I know they will hear about it year after year for the remainder of their lives. The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein is a story that captures childrens’ attention and gives them a feeling of excitement, adventure, wonder, and even a sense of sadness toward the Twin Towers and September 11. It gives them a memory, in an inspiring and moving way, of something they never experienced, saw, or will fully understand.
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers is based on a true story of a French street performer named Philippe Petit. On August 7, 1974, as the towers were still under construction, Petit fastened a hire-wire to the top stories of the building and walked out across it. Gerstein tells us that Philippe “looked not at the towers, but at the space between them.” In a very descriptive and lyrical way, and accompanied by beautiful illustrations, we learn of Philipp’s adventure to walk the hire-wire. At the end of the story an imprint of the towers is left in our minds as Gerstein allows us to feel a sense of sadness that the towers are no longer there.
Although this story is written for children, it is definitely a story that also touches the hearts of adults. Most of us remember exactly where we were on September 11, 2001. Most of us remember exactly how we felt and how we reacted. The Man Who Walked Between the Towers adds a sweet story to our memory of the Twin Towers. If you have not yet read this book, I highly recommend it. In fact, I recommend buying this one and reading it as a tradition each September 11, for years to come.
Book Info:
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers won the Caldecott Medal in 2004.
Get The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein
