This is the rare picture book that works as both art and history lesson. Gerstein's illustrations are legitimately stunning—those foldout spreads of Petit suspended between the towers will take your breath away. The prose is spare and poetic, treating the whole affair as the beautiful, illegal, audacious act it was.

The 9/11 elephant in the room is handled with grace: one simple line at the end notes the towers are gone. For families ready to talk about it, this book is a gentle entry point. For families not ready, it might land harder than expected.

It's a Caldecott winner for a reason, and at 20+ years old, it still holds up beautifully. Not every kid will connect with the reflective, bittersweet tone, but for the right reader, this is a gem.