Ground Zero by Alan Gratz – Book Review
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Title: Ground Zero Author: Alan Gratz Publisher: Scholastic Press Release Date: February 2, 2021 
Interested in teaching Ground Zero? Check out the LIT Lessons Ground Zero Novel Study. |
On September 11, 2001, Brandon joins his father at his job in the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Suddenly, an airplane hits the building, forever changing Brandon’s life, his father’s life, the thousands of lives of the people working in the skyscraper, and the world. Brandon and countless others must survive a fiery, nightmarish hellscape before the world as they know it comes crashing down.
On September 11, 2020, halfway across the world in Afghanistan, Reshmina’s village is stuck in the crosshairs of yet another battle between the Taliban and the United States-led military forces. While trying to convince her brother that peace is possible, Reshmina encounters a wounded U.S. soldier. If she helps, she would uphold her own beliefs, but she would also put her entire village in grave danger.
Both kids, separated by years and miles, find themselves at ground zero for consequential decisions. No matter their choices, their lives will change forever.
Ground Zero by Alan Gratz is a heart-pounding, haunting account of the deadliest terrorist attack in United States’ history, 9/11, and its long-lasting effects that still echo in the present day. In true Gratzesque form, the novel alternates between two perspectives. Chapters end with heart-stopping cliffhangers that will have readers devour the book in record time. Ground Zero is suspenseful, fast-paced, and thought-provoking as it reveals how historic events create ripples through to the modern-day. While the story’s action grabs readers’ attention, the thematic exploration of revenge and peace will give them pause, leaving them to contemplate the cyclical nature of those themes. For the generations that experienced 9/11 and witnessed its effects, Ground Zero is a haunting retelling and helps illustrate the ways its effects are still felt around the world today. For the generations too young to know a world pre-9/11, Ground Zero is a formidable recounting that will surely help them understand the significance and gravity of such an unprecedented attack. Above all, it is a story that shows how the past is part of the present but does not always have to be part of the future if we have the courage to do what is right.
Ground Zero does not shy away from the tragedy of 9/11. It fully captures the terror and horror from that day. It is a history that needs to be taught, but given the scope of the tragedy, it also needs to be approached with the utmost care and consideration. Gratz’s novel will allow educators to treat it as such. The novel is not just about the events of that fateful day but also about the aftermath that the world is still living. Ground Zero presents the perfect opportunity to immerse students in a cross-curricular unit, tying History to ELA. The events of 9/11 were and remain heartbreaking; it is a history worth teaching and Gratz’s novel will allow educators to do so in a thoughtful, reflective way.
Thank you to Edelweiss+ and publisher, Scholastic Press, for an eARC of this book.
Classroom Applications
- Teaching Unit – Use the Ground Zero Novel Study to teach a cross-curricular unit with the History of 9/11 resources.
- Literature Circles – Use the novel as part of a study of 9/11, the War of Afghanistan, and the War on Terror.
- Book Club or Book Exchange – Share the novel with students that enjoy reading historical fiction.
Nonfiction Connections
The list below outlines topics that will enrich your students’ understanding of the novel.
- 9/11 Attacks
- History Leading to 9/11 Attacks
- War of Afghanistan
Book Companions
The following are great books to pair with Ground Zero. In parenthesis are the specific aspects students could explore when synthesizing across the texts.
- Towers Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes (Nonfiction Connections, Character Connections, Themes)
- Eleven by Tom Rogers (Nonfiction Connections, Character Connections, Themes)
- Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story by Nora Raleigh Baskin (Nonfiction Connections, Character Connections, Themes)
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