Children's Book Remembers 9/11

ROCKFORD, IL, July 29, 2011 (Press-News.org) September 11, 2011 will mark the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Recent events have the entire world talking about it. And yet, when teenagers and twenty something young people were asked on the street a few days ago, many knew little about what happened. It's even worse when elementary school children are interviewed. Some have suggested that curriculum should be developed to better teach about 9/11.

Max Elliot Anderson has written a new book, When the Lights Go Out, for young readers which will be released on August 1.

"I speak in schools about my action-adventures and mysteries for kids," Anderson said. "What I found is that children, who are eleven, twelve, and thirteen today, and were only infants in 2001, know little or nothing about 9/11 or the significance of what happened. So I wrote an adventure that briefly incorporates the events of that day, within a larger story set on a military base."

In Anderson's new book, Peyton Aldrich has just moved to a new army base with his parents and younger sister. He doesn't understand why his father has been sent to such a rundown place in the middle of nowhere. After all, his father was a colonel, with top security clearance, who completed the elite Ranger school. And his training had also been in Army Intelligence. Yet, here they were.

Peyton was never allowed to ask his father anything about what he did in the army. Nor was he allowed to ever get in the way. There were many secrets that his dad couldn't even tell his own family.

Peyton idolized his father. One day he hoped to grow up to be just like him. His father had told him that the army may not be for everyone, but after what happened on 9/11, somebody had to help keep the country safe.

Peyton finds two friends. Gill is the son of the motor pool sergeant, and Dave's father is the base chaplain. Together they decide to train like Rangers and search for some kind of mission they could do. Little did they know that a mission was about to put the boys right in the crosshairs of a dangerous terrorist plot when a secret weapon would be delivered to the base on its way across the country.

There was no way Peyton could tell his father what he knew. After all, it could cost him his job. Peyton, Gill, and Dave have to take matters into their own hands, and they do.

When the Lights go Out is a story for kids, and their parents, so we never forget 9/11.

"My book is dedicated to the people who died on that day," Anderson said. "The dedication reads, 'To the memory of 9/11, and the people who lost their lives that day, so we never forget.'"

When the Lights Go Out will be released on August 1, by Comfort Publishing, located in Concrod, NC.

"We've done a good job of informing students about other historic events like D-Day and Pearl Harbor," Anderson said, "but now it's time to tell them about 9/11. My new book will help in that process."

Contact Information


Max Elliot Anderson

mander8813@aol.com

For media contacts only - (815) 877-1514

PO. Box 4126, Rockford, IL 61110

Comfort Publishing

http://www.comfortpublishing.com

Books for Boys Blog
http://booksandboys.blogspot.com

Author Web Site
http://www.maxbooks.9k.com

Video Book Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfSEkGN5q0U&feature