Description: Ground Zero is a number one New York Timesbestseller The plot starts at a heart-pounding pace and never relents.A contemporary history lesson with the uplifting messagethat humanity's survival depends on us working for, not against,one another. A must-have. | ?? School Library Journal In time for the twentieth anniversary of 9/11, masterstoryteller Alan Gratz (Refugee) delivers a pulse-poundingand unforgettable take on history and hope, revenge and fear -and the stunning links between the past and present. September 11, 2001, New York City: Brandon is visiting his dadat work, on the 107th floor of the World Trade Center. Out of nowhere,an airplane slams into the tower, creating a fiery nightmareof terror and confusion. And Brandon is in the middle of it all. Can he survive - and escape? September 11, 2020, Afghanistan: Reshmina has grown up in theshadow of war, but she dreams of peace and progress. When a battleerupts in her village, Reshmina stumbles upon a wounded Americansoldier named Taz. Should she help Taz - and put herself and herfamily in mortal danger? Two kids. One devastating day. Nothing will ever be thesame. Suitable for classroom reading With two action-packed perspectives, Gratz powerfully exploresthe ways in which the past shapes the present Don't miss Refugee, Grenade and Alliesby Alan Gratz. REVIEWS With his signature accessibility and insight, Gratz tacklesevents on both U.S. soil and abroad in Ground Zero. Ground Zero will appeal to middle-grade readers,who were born after the events of 9/11, and to those adults wholived through it and will never forget. | ?? Booklist Gratz moves back and forth between the two narratives in short,nail-biting chapters that create a vivid picture of each settingand make readers feel invested in each character's relationshipsand choices, and in the high-stakes global forces thataffect the intimate details of their lives. | ?? Horn Book Gratz's deeply moving writing paints vivid images ofthe loss and fear of those who lived through the trauma of 9/11. | ?? Kirkus This tautly paced novel explores the events of that tragedyand the subsequent American response through two parallel storylines. | ?? Publishers Weekly.