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Alan Gratz

Ground Zero

Alan GratzFiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2021

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Book Brief

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Alan Gratz

Ground Zero

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2021
Book Details
Pages

336

Format

Novel • Fiction

Period
Setting

New York City • 2000s

Publication Year

2021

Audience

Middle grade

Recommended Reading Age

10-14 years

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Super Short Summary

Ground Zero by Alan Gratz alternates between Brandon, a nine-year-old boy in the World Trade Center during the September 11 attacks, and Reshmina, an 11-year-old girl in Afghanistan in 2019, whose stories unexpectedly intertwine as they each navigate their own life-changing and harrowing experiences amidst violence and chaos. The book contains scenes of terrorism, violence, and war.

Emotional

Suspenseful

Challenging

Mysterious

Reviews & Readership

4.6

24,481 ratings

88%

Loved it

9%

Mixed feelings

4%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Alan Gratz's Ground Zero delivers an engaging, heart-wrenching narrative that intertwines two compelling stories: one from 9/11 and one from modern-day Afghanistan. Most reviewers praise its emotional depth and historical perspectives, though some criticize its complex structure and intense content as potentially overwhelming for younger readers.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Ground Zero?

Readers who enjoy compelling, historically-infused narratives like The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne or Refugee by Alan Gratz himself will find Ground Zero riveting. Ideal for middle-grade to young adult readers, it offers poignant, dual-timeline storytelling about resilience and empathy amid 9/11.

4.6

24,481 ratings

88%

Loved it

9%

Mixed feelings

4%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

336

Format

Novel • Fiction

Period
Setting

New York City • 2000s

Publication Year

2021

Audience

Middle grade

Recommended Reading Age

10-14 years

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