eleven
the journey of a boy turning eleven on 9/11
“A thoroughly engaging piece about a very difficult subject. Very well written – funny and emotional from beginning to end. And I loved Radar.”
— Alan Horn, Chairman, The Walt Disney Studios
~ Selected for sale by the 9/11 Memorial Museum store ~
The Book
This is a story about bullies and heroes. About tragedy and hope. About enemies with two legs and friends with four, and pesky little sisters and cranky old men, and an unexpected lesson in kindness delivered with a slice of pizza.
This is Eleven: the journey of a boy turning eleven on 9/11.
The Author
Chapter Excerpts
You Smell Like a Monkey
Chapter 4 excerpt
8:05 a.m.
The yellow bus rumbled through a tumbledown section of town, an industrial no-man’s-land of railroad tracks, warehouses, and empty factories with broken windows and rusted steel roofs. The bus didn’t stop here, because no kids lived here.
The sound of the tires changed to a high-pitched hum as the bus crossed a tall bridge that soared over a rail yard and a narrow river. Alex turned to look out the window …
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A Dog’s Life
Chapter 10 excerpt
10:34 a.m.
“Here, Max.”
Alex called to the dog, who had stopped to sniff a light pole. The dog didn’t respond but moved on to investigate a trash can.
Nunu looked at him funny. “Who’s Max?”
“I’m trying out my top ten dog names. Does he look like a Max to you?”
Alex made a face. “Muffin?” …
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The Man in the White Shirt
Chapter 13 excerpt
10:02 a.m.
The Man in the White Shirt staggered through the choking gray cloud. He couldn’t see where he was going. He couldn’t see anything.
He nearly crashed into a light pole that appeared a foot in front of him.
He heard others around him, panting as they ran.
Someone slammed into him from behind and then disappeared into the cloud …
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For Teachers and Students
Tom is currently developing a teacher’s guide that coordinates with the English/Language Arts Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for Reading, Writing, Language, and Speaking and Listening. If you’d like to be notified when the teacher’s guide is available, please sign up for our mailing list.
Teachers & Students ArchivesWithout Courage
Speak the Speech
I recently had the honor of giving the commencement speech to the eighth graders culminating from William Jefferson Clinton Middle School in South Los Angeles.
Go Eagles!
A few quick …
Cupcake-tastrophe
Say hi to Miss Martone’s class at Cathedral Chapel School in Los Angeles. Hi, class!
Miss Martone has been teaching Eleven to her students at CCS this spring and invited …
The Neighborhood
A blog about reading, writing, creativity, kindness, and 9/11. Not necessarily in that order.
The Neighborhood ArchivesEleven Book Signing with Dylan
I recently enjoyed a fun visit from my friend (and fan of Eleven), Dylan Foyster.
Dylan was in town to see his grandparents, Joanne and Rusty Muir, but he managed to squeeze in …
11 Tips for a Family Trip to New York and the 9/11 Museum
With the 9/11 Museum now open at the World Trade Center, many families are thinking about making a visit to the museum the centerpiece of a Labor Day or …
Holiday Bella
Hello it is Radar.
I am sorry I have not barked at you lately. It has been a busy season with many balls to catch and trees to write on.
And …
“Tell All Your Friends That I Am Kind.”
Hello it is Radar.
I want to tell you about a wonderful thing that happened because of a terrible thing.
Kind of like how I met Alex, my best friend, on …
