Publishers Weekly
05/02/2016
Author and editor Gassman (the Little Boost series) calls upon her firsthand experience of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in this frank account of the boat evacuation that carried thousands to safety. The narrative provides a grim, age-appropriate recounting of the Twin Towers’s destruction before describing how 500,000 people escaped Manhattan via the water: “Boats of all sizes sped into the harbor. Tugboats, ferryboats, private boats, party boats.... each vessel carried a captain and crew who were ready to serve.” Quotations from boat captains punctuate the story, while a limited color palette contributes to the somber tone. Newcomer Moors places his intricate line drawings against a stark gray-beige backdrop. The only vivid color is the turquoise of the clear sky, which is later used for the spotlights that shine upward in place of the towers. Survivors, subtly differentiated with their dusty gray coloring, wear expressions of shock and sadness. An author’s note details Gassman’s personal water-evacuation story, and a glossary (including victim and tragedy) rounds out this inspiring tale of how an impromptu flotilla offered refuge and hope, “a light on the city’s darkest day.” Ages 6–10. (July)
Imagination Soup
Mr. Rogers is famously quoted that during tragic events, it’s helpful to kids to look for the helpers. This picture book does just that. It details how after the towers fell, many people needed to get to safety and boats of every kind raced to Manhattan Island to rescue as many people as possible. Hope. That’s what this book is about, even during the most dark of times. (The author was one of the people rescued by a boat!)
The Booklist Reader
Gassman’s straightforward prose style is all the more powerful and moving for its simplicity, and Steve Moors’s accompanying illustrations are perfect for the story. In a palate of black, gray, dirty white, and flashes of sky blue, the art supports the emotion of the scenes. . . .I really appreciate it both as an important piece of history and as a very effective picture book providing youngsters who may know very little about 9/11 with just the right amount of straightforward information.
Kirkus Reviews
2016-05-04
Meet some unsung heroes of the sea.On Sept. 11, 2001, the day the World Trade Center was attacked, more than 1 million people in New York were in need of evacuation. Subways, bridges, and tunnels were shut down, so the only way out was to cross the water. Firefighters and police rushed in to help, and Coast Guard officials put out a call for all available boats, leading to the largest evacuation by sea ever recorded, exceeding the Dunkirk boatlift by more than 150,000 evacuees. Detailed pictures show the buildings, the people, and the ships rendered in beige and gray, while a warm blue sky embraces the city despite its tragedy. Accessible, informative text presents the tragedy with relevant detail and explains how captains and crews worked together to bring almost 500,000 people to safety, traveling back and forth from New York City to the New Jersey shore, despite fear, smoke, crowding, and unidentified military jets passing overhead. Quotations from these heroic responders bring immediacy to the story, while the author's note offers an additional personal perspective. A glossary and source notes are included.This accessible, fact-based account of the boat evacuations that took place on 9/11 puts faces on some of the many heroes who stepped forward to help in a time of crisis. (Informational picture book. 6-10)
