Ground Zero

By Alan Gratz

Book Overview

The instant #1 New York Times bestseller.

Acclaimed storyteller Alan Gratz (Refugee) delivers a pulse-pounding and unforgettable take on history and hope, revenge and fear -- and the stunning links between the past and present.

September 11, 2001, New York City: Brandon is visiting his dad at work, on the 107th floor of the World Trade Center. Out of nowhere, an airplane slams into the tower, creating a fiery nightmare of terror and confusion. And Brandon is in the middle of it all. Can he survive -- and escape?

September 11, 2019, Afghanistan: Reshmina has grown up in the shadow of war, but she dreams of peace and progress. When a battle erupts in her village, Reshmina stumbles upon a wounded American soldier named Taz. Should she help Taz -- and put herself and her family in mortal danger?

Two kids. One devastating day. Nothing will ever be the same.

Accelerated Reading Level 4.8

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1338245759
• ISBN13: 9781338245752
• Release Date: February 2021
• Publisher: Scholastic Press
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.7" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

Must read

Impossible to put down. Have a box of tissues handy. After seeing the memorial in NYC, this is such an accurate description of this horrific day in our country.

Heartbreaking but a must read

I remember September 11th very well and reading this was heartbreaking but eye opening. A must read for everyone!

So captivating, I read it cover to cover in one sitting.

I truly enjoyed the easy readability of this book. The short chapters alternate between the two main characters so each story follows a mirrored path of intensity, suspense, and emotion. This book, while moderately graphic in brief moments, would be a good place to begin teaching the younger children in your life about the events of 9/11 and how those events have changed the world. I was nearly 5 on 9/11/2001, I was home with my mum. I saw the towers burning on tv and saw mum crying. I didn’t really understand but, saw how upset mum was and I remember hugging her and she hugged me back so tightly. Reading this book, as an adult, has brought back this memory for me in a cathartic way and allowed me to reflect on how myself and everyone in the world has been affected by these tragedies. If you’d like a well written and easy to read historical-fiction with the ability to pull real emotions forward, allowing you to reflect, then this is the perfect book for you.