ALL WE HAVE LEFT, by Wendy Mills

The story: Jesse's brother died sixteen years ago, when the Twin Towers fell. Her family doesn't talk about it, but it's still tearing them apart. This is her story--interwoven with that of her brother, Travis, and his experiences in the North Tower after the planes hit. It's also the story of a girl trapped along with him, and the mystery of whether or not Alia lives.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence PG; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse PG; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (terrorism, religious intolerance, gang activities) PG-13; overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: It's important to keep in mind that kids in middle school today weren't even born when the Twin Towers were attacked on 9/11. Although Jesse's story, and her attraction to Adam, put this on the girly side of things, Travis and Alia's journey through the Twin Towers is gripping and scary, and a realistic glimpse into what it might have been like to have been there that day. Hand it to any kid looking for an account of September 11, 2001, or for contemporary fiction with flashbacks.