150,000 Trees: Growing a Memorial for 9/11's Flight 93 - Perfect Picture Book Friday #PPBF

Jun 13
4 min read

This stunning and inspirational book stands out from other 9-11 picture books in its focus on the devastation (to families and the environment) of the crash of Flight 93 in a Pennsylvania field. A loving tribute, it offers hope and healing for the land, the families, and the larger community.

Book cover - title set on top of a grove of trees.

150,000 Trees: Growing a Memorial for 9//11's Flight 93

Author: Rebecca Hirsch

Illustrator: Jacqueline Tam

Publisher: Tilbury House Publishers (June 8, 2026)

Ages: 7-10

Nonfiction

Themes:

Tragedy, community, grief, and healing.

Synopsis:

How do people begin to heal? How does the land begin to heal? Discover how one community answered those questions in the wake of 9/11.

When Flight 93 crashed in that Pennsylvania field—amidst unfolding tragedy in New York City and Washington D.C.—the whole country grieved alongside those who had lost family and friends. But long before 9/11, that land had been wounded too, lush forests becoming mines before becoming empty fields struggling to thrive. As the community began to plan and build a memorial, they focused on remembrance and growth. Trees, they thought, would help the people root to the past but grow towards the light. And every year people planted.

Discover the inspirational story of the program (Plant a Tree at Flight 93) that restored the strip-mined land surrounding the national memorial in the years following 9/11. Through lyrical prose and lush art, 150,000 Trees illuminates the hope and empathy of the American people and shows the power of individuals to make a difference. Releasing in time for the 25th anniversary of 9/11.

Opening Lines:

Many years ago,

in the quiet hills of Pennsylvania,

a field of grasses

whispered shh-hh-hhh

to the bright September sky.

It was a beautiful morning,

and in the distance,

a speck appeared on the horizon.

A plane was approaching . . .

What I LOVED about this book:

This stunning image of a red-tail hawk soaring in a relaxed moment complements the lovely, lyrical opening so beautifully. While in a subtle juxta-position to this idylic moment, the mention of a plane, is set within gathering storm clouds, creating a tiny sense of foreboding.

Internal image - a red-tail hawk swoops over af field og grass with two trees and gathering storm clouds.

Text © Rebecca Hirsch, 2026. Image © Jacqueline Tam, 2026.

This is followed by a poignant description of the historic change from lush, verdant forest full of life toa scared and barren land only able to support a field of grass (after the coal miners left) which is so powerfully shown as a sharp contrast, with a grey, dismal image of mangled trunks a huge hole gashed into the landscape.

With a very gentle hand, Rebecca Hirsch and Jaqueline Tam tackle both the 9-11 attacks in Washington D.C. and New York and the crash of the plane in the field of whispering grass. They don't sugar coat it. "American was under attack. Then, in the quiet hills . . the ground shook. Smoke billowed." But plainly and simply state the facts. The plane crashed and "All forty passengers and crew died." Leaving the reader the room in the narration and illustrations to experience their memories or a moment of empathy.

Internal image - on the left a fox pricks its ears toward the gutter as a tendral of smoke comes over from the right. On the right, firefighters deal with smoke and fire between two city buildings.

Creating a mini-community, family members and residents of nearby towns and farms joined together around a makeshift hay bale memorial comforting each other and sowing the seeds of creating a powerful, permanent memorial to the heroic passengers and crew that would heal both the land and the people.

First there were wildflowers. Then as construction started, volunteers began planting trees. I love the way the total number of trees planted grows along with the trees and visually stands out in changing colors. As well as the way Jacqueline Tam beautifully captures the variety of trees planted, ages of the volunteers, and the passage of time through the heights and leaves (or lack thereof) of the trees.

Internal spread - in an arc from the upper left to the lower right, five adults and kids plant, water, and care for a variety of trees, through the seasons and over time.

The final spreads beautifully show the progressive reforestation, return of animals, memorial, and the final total of 150,000 trees. The back matter includes more detailed information on the flight and actions of the passengers and crew, a map of the memorial with descriptions of the important features, and an author's note relating her experiences planting trees for the memorial. It's a gorgeous, touching tribute to forty brave passengers and crew and the community who responded to create this special space offering empathy and hope to visitors.

Resources:

create your own memorial garden. Pick a special pot and add a plant or two, rocks, and anything that reminds you of your pet or loved one.

check out the thoughtful questions at the end of the book.

pair this with other stunning and hopeful 9-11 picture books Survivor Tree by Marcie Colleen, illustrated by Aaron Becker, Branches of Hope: The 9/11 Survivor Tree by Ann Magee, illustrated by Nicole Wong, and Fireboat: The Heroic Adventures of the John J. Harvey by Maira Kalman.

If you missed my interview with Rebecca Hirsch on Monday, find it (here).

This post is part of a series of blog posts by authors and KidLit bloggers called Perfect Picture Book Fridays. For more picture book suggestions and resources see Susanna Leonard Hill's Perfect Picture Books.