The Man who Walked Between the Towers

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein is a book about a young French aerialist who walked across the two World Trade Centers in 1974 on a tight rope. He spent almost an hour on the tight rope performing tricks. The French aerialist saw the two towers and knew it would be a great spot to stretch a rope. From that moment he was determined to complete this task but he knew that it would not be easy. I liked this book because it shows determination. The performer had a dream and he did not give up until his dream was accomplished. It is important for us to remember that we should never give up on dreams of our own. The illustrations in the book are beautiful and they represent the mood given by the text on each page. For example, when the man is talking about how he knew the owners and the police would never allow him to walk across the towers, the illustrations are dark and gloomy. However, when he is thinking of a plan to accomplish his dreams the page is filled with bright colors and great detail. I am amazed that someone actually performed on a tight rope between the World Trade Center but I am even more taken back by the fact that those two towers are gone now. A teacher could use this book to introduce and start a discussion on the events of September 11th in a social studies class. Whatever your purpose for reading the book may be, it is definitely one that is worth reading.