Ground Zerois a number one New York Timesbestseller

The plot starts at a heart-pounding pace and never relents... A contemporary history lesson with the uplifting message that humanity's survival depends on us working for, not against, one another. A must-have.-- School Library Journal

In time for the twentieth anniversary of 9/11, master 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, 2020, 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.

• Suitable for classroom reading
• With two action-packed perspectives, Gratz powerfully explores the ways in which the past shapes the present
• Don't miss Refugee, Grenadeand Alliesby Alan Gratz.

 

REVIEWS

With his signature accessibility and insight, Gratz tackles events on both U.S. soil and abroad in Ground Zero..... Ground Zerowill appeal to middle-grade readers, who were born after the events of 9/11, and to those adults who lived through it and will never forget. -- Booklist

Gratz moves back and forth between the two narratives in short, nail-biting chapters that create a vivid picture of each setting and make readers feel invested in each character's relationships and choices, and in the high-stakes global forces that affect the intimate details of their lives. --Horn Book

Gratz's deeply moving writing paints vivid images of the loss and fear of those who lived through the trauma of 9/11. -- Kirkus

This tautly paced novel explores the events of that tragedy and the subsequent American response through two parallel story lines.-- Publishers Weekly