Towers Falling

By: Jewell Parker Rhodes

Narrated by: Jewell Parker Rhodes

From award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes, a powerful novel set 15 years after the 9/11 attacks in a classroom of students who cannot remember the event but live through the aftermath of its cultural shift.

When her fifth-grade teacher hints that a series of lessons about home and community will culminate with one big answer about two tall towers once visible outside their classroom window, Deja can't help but feel confused. She sets off on a journey of discovery, with new friends Ben and Sabeen by her side. But just as she gets closer to answering big questions about who she is, what America means, and how communities can grow (and heal), she uncovers new questions, too. Like, why does Pop get so angry when she brings up anything about the towers?

Award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes tells a powerful story about young people who weren't alive to witness this defining moment in history but begin to realize how much it colors their every day.

©2016 Jewell Parker Rhodes (P)2016 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"Rhodes approaches a complex, painful topic with insight and grace, providing context to an event distant to the book's audience." (Publishers Weekly)

"This is a welcome contribution to children's literature." (School Library Journal)

"This tender retelling of tragedy is a solid vessel to help young readers understand the gravity of 9/11 and how it touches all Americans, no matter where we come from." (Kirkus Reviews)

Poor Narration

I was hoping that this would be good for my daughter to listen to while she read. The performance was more of a distraction than anything. The narrator sounded like she was whining the entire time and made it, virtually, impossible to listen to.

Family. Home. Beautiful.

A great story about love, understanding, friendships and family. As well as a compassionate way for children to learn about 911.

Towers Falling Review

The narrator was a bit boring but the story was lovable and so was the main character. You can put yourself in her shoes and you feel what she feels through out the book. I do think it took a little long for the book to end and get interesting and I also think there were some moments that did not need to be in there. Overall I think the book was entertaining and fun but I do not think the plot was fully developed as well as some of the characters.

Great story, horrible voice.

I loved the story, but I almost didn’t listen to it because the narrator’s voice was so annoying. The way she spoke when doing Deja’s voice was too shrill and like she was really overdoing it. It made me not like the character at points because the narrator’s voice was so whiny and bratty.

Amazing

I’m in the forth grade and did not know this much about 9/11
Until reading this book

Best story ever

It’s emotional strong happy sad the reader is amazing and the story is so good

Narration is incredibly annoying

I have purchased many books that claim to have annoying voices in narration, and I have been fine with them all. This one however is intolerable. I can't make it to the end because the author is so whiny. I don't know if she is changing her voice to reflect a 10 year old girl from the story or what is going on, but it is to much!

Jewel Parker Rhodes is AMAZING!

What made the experience of listening to Towers Falling the most enjoyable?

It was fascinating to think of what 9/11 means to NYC kids that weren't even alive 9/11/01.

From an adults POV

My daughter bought this book to listen to the story, that she had read for a school book report. My take on the story, is it was a good story, just everything didn't fit. The 5th grade girl is written very youngish. she seems more like a 2nd grade then a 5th. There were parts of the story that just didn't fit with the plots. The story is a strong one with great meaning, just missing something.

This book is hard to rate.

If you are picky about your narrator you may want to try a sample of this book first. Although the author reads it, I found her voice to be pretty grating and irritating.
However, the story makes up for the narrator. This story is really intense, especially as the book nears the climax and conclusion. I would recommend it to grades six and up.