Week Two: Novel with a Focus on Diversity

Towers Falling has been on my TBR list for some time now, so finally having an excuse to read it, makes me so happy! Jewell Parker Rhodes wrote this novel; if you haven’t read any of her work, you need to! 

The book is centered around a fifth-grade girl, Dèja. She recently moved into a one-bedroom apartment with her parents and two younger siblings at the Avalon Family Residence, a homeless shelter. Her mom works and her dad gets sick a lot, so it is up to Dèja to take care of her little brother and sister by getting them to daycare and picking them up after school. This causes a lot of turmoil between Dèja and her parents. She often thinks her father is faking and silently blames him for her family having to move into the shelter. 

Dèja has started a new school due to the move. She meets Ben, a nerdy cowboy who recently moved from Arizona, and Sabeen, a sweet Muslim girl whose family immigrated from Turkey several years prior, in her homeroom. At first, Dèja doesn’t want to be their friend, but in time, they become the three musketeers and are in a group for their history project. They are learning about social groups and how they unite people; they are a part of the class, the school, the community, the state, the country, etc. Throughout this unit of study, Ben and Sabeen realize that Dèja had lived in New York her entire life, yet she had never heard of the tragedy that occurred on September 11. Ben shows her a video and it devastates her. She and Ben skip school to visit the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. 

Dèja’s dad is waiting for her when they return from the museum. He hugs her and they go back home. He sits down with her to talk about why she had never been told about the terrorist attack. Dèja’s father worked as a security guard in the north tower. He was there and witnessed everything firsthand. He goes on to explain the events of that day to her and why he wanted to keep it from his children. Dèja learns that her father’s sickness is linked to the aftermath of the attack. He suffered damage to his lungs from the falling ash, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder from the experience. Having this new insight, Dèja has a new respect for her father. They begin to heal from that tragic day together without the secrets that kept their family apart.

This story is so much deeper and more complex than my summary! Jewell Parker Rhodes also has teaching companions, educator's guides, and curriculum connections premade for you on her website to download for free. 

This novel could be used in all content areas. In social studies, the class projects from the novel could be replicated in an Oklahoma classroom. Elementary students (grades 3-6) will learn about social groups; how they are a part of the class, the school, the community, the state, the region, the country, and the continent. They could locate these on a map. In middle and high school, you could discuss the Murrah Federal Building Bombing on April 19, 1995, and the first attack on the World Trade Center in 1993 (referenced in the book) as well. The themes found in this book are so vast that you could compare and contrast his novel to many other books. You could discuss character traits and see how Dèja's character matures or write letters to first responders. In music, you could study the lyrics of My Country 'Tis of Thee and other patriotic songs. I wouldn't suggest watching any videos of either of these attacks. As Dèja's dad would say, it's one thing to learn about these events, but it's quite another to see them.

“History made personal—and what a person! Dèja’s voice is real and memorable, her compelling story one of hope unmarred by sentimentality."   —Newbery Medalist Linda Sue Park

“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

“In Dèja, Rhodes has created a curious, resilient character whose journey can help other children process the horrible events that shape the world into which they are born.” - Time Magazine

“Powerful, cleareyed… Rhodes doesn’t assume her readers know the magnitude of 9/11; she walks them tenderly through it.” - New York Times Book Review