Review: "Ground Zero," by Alan Gratz

It's September 11, 2001. Nine-year-old Brandon has gotten into trouble at school and has to go to work with his dad at the Twin Towers in NYC. His dad works near the top floor in a restaurant called Windows on the World. Brandon was in the elevator on the way to a gift shop downstairs when the first plane hits the building. With help from the others in the elevator, they're able to get out and back into the building. He tries to get back up to his dad, but the building is on fire. Join Brandon in his fight to survive the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers.

It's present-day Afghanistan. Eleven-year-old Reshmina is trying to survive her own war-torn land. Her brother is eager to join the Taliban, and when Reshmina helps an injured US soldier, he tells the Taliban where they are, putting her entire town in danger. Reshmina is brave and not willing to let her land be destroyed by terrorists.

Gratz masterfully weaves these two stories together, giving present day readers a glimpse into what it might have been like for the victims on 9-11-01 and what it's currently like for kids in Afghanistan because of that attack 20 years ago.

Mrs. Denney's Rating: ****

#review #violence #family #diversity #realisticfiction #terrorism #suspense