Ground Zero
by Alan Gratz
Historical Fiction
Review #1
* * * Stars (Pretty good)
In New York City on September 11, 2001, nine-year-old Brandon is at the World Trade Center with his father when the terrorist attacks begin. He must navigate the chaos and destruction to escape the collapsing towers.
Eighteen years later, on September 11, 2019, in Afghanistan, eleven-year-old Reshmina lives in a war-torn village, dreaming of a peaceful future. When a battle erupts, she discovers a wounded American soldier and faces a difficult decision about helping him, risking her family’s safety.
The book intertwines these narratives to explore the long-lasting impact of the 9/11 attacks and the complexities of war, emphasizing themes of survival, courage, and the hope for a better future.
I like “Ground Zero” for its engaging, fast-paced historical narrative that makes the complex events of 9/11 and the war in Afghanistan accessible to young readers, but some dislike how the connection between the two parallel stories feels somewhat predictable or that the Afghan characters are occasionally portrayed with less nuance. For high school teens.
