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4.35 AVERAGE
4.35 AVERAGE
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ground Zero was incredibly powerful. I found myself constantly concerned for both Brandon and Reshmina as I read, but was always impressed by their survival tact. The parallel between the two because of their age and the date made this book even more impactful. As a future history teacher, I would love to implement this book somehow in my classroom and I look forward to doing so.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
As a future teacher, reading "Ground Zero" has reinforced the importance of addressing global issues in the classroom. It has shaped my view by reminding me that students are part of a larger world and that historical events like 9/11 continue to influence their lives, directly or indirectly. This book highlights the need to create space for discussions around trauma, resilience, and hope, fostering empathy among students for those impacted by conflict both near and far.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Ground Zero plots out a journey from start to finish that helps us comprehend these themes and learn how to grow from mistakes and recover. This read was an emotional rollercoaster with impactful themes yet taught me so much about where we have been and where we are now. An excellent read!
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Alan Grant is an incredible author who took the stories of two children on opposite sides of the world to tell the story of one of the most terrible tragedies of the 21st century. There are two sides to every coin and ground zero delivers an unforgettable take on history, filled with ideas of revenge, fear, hope, and despair. It is a MUST Read!!
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
challenging
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
Ground Zero by Alan Gratz is a gripping, dual-perspective novel that powerfully weaves together the harrowing experiences of 9/11 and the war in Afghanistan, offering a poignant exploration of tragedy, resilience, and the far-reaching impact of violence.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ground Zero is a novel by Alan Gratz that follows two narratives that highlight the idea that a single day can change a person's life forever. One narrative follows Brandon, a nine year old boy who has been suspended from school for fighting another student. He finds himself in the World Trades Center where his dad works on 9/11, the story follows him as he escapes the tower, with the help of a man named Richard. The second narrative is from an eleven year old girl named Reshmina. Occurring in September of 2019, she lives in a small mountainous village in Afghanistan. For nearly twenty years the Taliban insurgents who aim to return Afghanistan to a rigid Muslim theocracy, and Reshmina lives in the center of it. Two years prior her sister dies in an American drone attack, when they mistake wedding celebrations for a Taliban sniper nest. The story unfolds with the two characters striving for survival during their differing situations. Reshmina, during a raid by Afghan and American troops, helps an injured American soldier named Taz. Her moment of compassion puts her and her family at risk, and ends with her and the soldier arguing over the attacks and their purpose. Taz is revealed to be Brandon, who was adopted by Richard and joined the army to avenge the attack that took his father. He realizes now that the mission has lost his purpose, and that he is lost.
This book is very well written, it hooks you immediately and keeps you interested to see how the two characters' stories will turn out. I think that it is a really intense story, I found myself having to take several breaks for reading when I would re-realize the characters are nine and eleven years old. It is humbling to read these stories of children going through those kinds of life threatening situations at such a young age, then to realize that there are real children out there who have lived similar experiences. I think that the way Reshmina and Brandons stories converged to reveal he was the soldier, after their discussion of war and its purpose, was a really good choice. It showed a nuance to an event that had devastating consequences for many in the years that followed.
adventurous
dark
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No