All We Have Left by Wendy Mills (Ages 14+)Read about the other entries on the list.
Wendy Mills steps bravely into the Twin Towers with this young adult novel that spans two time periods – 2001 and 2016 – and interweaves the stories of two strong female protagonists who have more in common than they know.
Jesse’s brother died in the September 11th attacks, and her life has been shaped by the fallout from his death, which is still convulsing her family. Back in 2001, Alia finds it infinitely more bearable to be a Muslim than to be a 16-year-old. Both narratives take off when these resilient young heroines find themselves in desperate circumstances: Jesse searching for clues as to why her brother was in the World Trade Center in the first place, and Alia fighting for her life as a chance errand takes her deep inside the towers at the time of the attack.
It’s rare that a book manages to be deeply thoughtful and still offer up a compelling read, but “All We Have Left” seems to do so effortlessly.
--Marshal Zeringue
Posts
