
Written by Jewell Parker Rhodes
A girl uncovers hidden truths about her family and community post-9/11.
Fifteen years after 9/11, fifth-grader Dèja embarks on a quest to understand the mysterious towers once visible from her classroom. With friends Ben and Sabeen, she delves into the past, uncovering secrets about her family and the nation's history. As she seeks answers, Dèja faces her father's anger and grapples with the impact of an event she never witnessed. What truths will she uncover about her identity and America's healing journey?
From award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes comes a powerful novel set fifteen 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, Dèja 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.
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