In the shadow or no towers by Art Spigelman

From the title to the cover where you have to look carefully to see the shape of the Twin Towers that were the target of a terrorist attack in 2001. Most people will be able to tell you what they were doing at the time when the planes went into these massive towers in New York City and how they watched in awe and fear as the fires started and eventually both buildings totally collapsed.

Art Spigelman is well known for his graphic novels, his most famous one being “Maus” – his parents’ story during the Holocaust. Art lived in New York in 2001 and his daughter had just started in a school at the foot of the towers three days before the event. But this is not just Art’s story – it is the story of so many people in the city, and of the city itself. Each double page includes so many different pieces of information on them that you need to spend time to take it all in.

This is an amazing work of art, and an incredible insight into an event which changed the Western world forever.

The Worst Thing She Ever Did by Alice Kuipers

It takes a while until you know what happened to Sophie over the previous summer. The diary entries feed you bits of information until you understand the whole heartwrenching story.

It’s hard to imagine how Sophie and her mother could manage life after what they have been through – but I’m not going to tell you what happened. Read it – you will be enthralled.