Ground Zero: A Novel of 9/11 by Alan Gratz

 

Why you want to read this book…

Besides it being the twenty-year anniversary of this horrific event, I was drawn to this story because I thought Alan Gratz would present the story carefully but with lots of tension. I was right. 

This story shares the events of 9/11 through the eyes of a fictional young boy, Brandon, who experiences the collapse of the towers and fights to survive. An interesting surprise was that it also told the story of Reshmina, a young girl in Afghanistan, who also experienced a life-changing event and had to struggle for survival. The similarities and differences between these two perspectives gave me a lot to think about.

 Even twenty years later, twin towers tragedy is heart-breaking, making for an intense read. Luckily, the details are descriptive without being overly vivid or scary. Reshmina’s story is also emotionally difficult and I found it very interesting to learn about her life and think about the issues she faced. Along with political issues, this story makes you think about basic human values and how people are connected. Author notes at the end of the story provide extra information as well as discussing some of the decisions the author made in writing the novel. A very interesting and emotional read.

 

Here’s the summary from the publisher…

 

It's September 11, 2001. Brandon, a nine-year-old boy, goes to work for the day with his dad… at the World Trade Center in New York City. When two planes hit the towers, Brandon and his father are trapped inside a fiery nightmare as terror and confusion whirl around them. Can they escape — and what will the world be like when they do?

In present-day Afghanistan, Reshmina is an eleven-year-old girl who is used to growing up in the shadow of war, but she has dreams of peace and unity. When she ends up harboring a wounded young American soldier, she and her entire family are put in mortal danger. But Reshmina also learns something surprising about the roots of this endless war.

With his trademark skill, Alan Gratz delivers an action-packed and insightful story of two kids whose lives connect in unexpected ways, and reminds us how the past and present are always more linked than we think.

Ground Zero by Alan Gratz was published by Scholastic Press in 2021. I read an e-version from my local public library.

Resources for Teachers: 

Here's a 25-min book talk with Alan Gratz, where he explains why he wrote the book and some of the research and decisions he made. Lots to discuss here! 

 

RED FOX ROAD by Frances Greenslade – An exciting survival story

I'm jumping back in to Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with exactly the kind of book I love to read--an exciting adventure! 

Why you want to read this book…

If you’re a fan of survival stories like I am, you’ll enjoy reading this book. I couldn’t put it down! In this one, the main character’s parents are along for the ride, but Francie ends up on her own. She has to use her own knowledge and smarts to figure out how to get through some scary moments. I really liked her resourcefulness. This story was different than other survival stories I’ve read because Francie had to worry about her mom’s mental health as well as how to stay alive. A great read!

Here’s the summary from the publisher:

A thirteen-year-old girl on a family vacation becomes stranded alone in the wilderness when the family's GPS leads them astray. A compelling survival story for ages 10 to 14, for fans of Hatchet and The Skeleton Tree.

Francie and her parents are on a spring road trip: driving from British Columbia, Canada, to hike in the Grand Canyon. When a shortcut leads them down an old logging road, disaster strikes. Their truck hits a rock and wipes out the oil pan. They are stuck in the middle of nowhere. Francie can't help feeling a little excited -- she'd often imagined how she'd survive if she got stranded in the bush, and now here they are. But will her survival skills -- building fires, gathering dandelion leaves and fir needles for tea -- be enough when hours stretch into days?

Red Fox Road by Frances Greenslade, was published by Penguin Random House Canada and debuts on September 15, 2020. I read an electronic version via NetGalley, provided by the publisher.

THE DISASTER DAYS by Rebecca Behrens - A typical babysitting experience suddenly becomes a test of survival

I love survival stories and this one turned out to be really exciting! I’m really looking forward to the author's next adventure, Alone in the Woods, coming out in the fall of 2020. This author also writes historical middle grade and I'm looking forward to checking it out when I get a chance.

Description from the publisher:

Hannah Steele loves living on Pelling, a tiny island near Seattle. It's a little disconnected from the outside world, but she's always felt completely safe there.

Which is why when she's asked one day to babysit after school, she thinks it's no big deal. Zoe and Oscar are her next-door neighbors, and Hannah just took a babysitting class that she's pretty sure makes her an expert. She isn't even worried that she left her inhaler at home.

Then the shaking begins.

The terrifying earthquake only lasts four minutes but it changes everything, damaging the house, knocking out the power, and making cell service nonexistent. Even worse, the ferry and the bridge connecting the kids to help―and their parents―are both blocked. Which means they're stranded and alone... With Hannah in charge, as things go from bad to dangerous.

The Disaster Days by Rebecca Behrens was published by Sourcebooks in 2019.

Why you want to read this book…

It’s an exciting story where three kids are put in the middle of a disaster, when an unexpected earthquake strikes. There’s an interesting twist to the story, because the main character, Hannah, is babysitting two younger kids when the earthquake hits. The kids are cut off from parents and any kind of phone communication, forcing Hannah to rely on her sense of responsibility and her problem-solving skills to help them survive. Aftershocks, injuries and Hannah’s own asthma condition add to the drama. If you love survival stories, this book is a must read!

Opening:

Nothing was remarkable that morning, except the postcard-perfect view of Mount Rainier. Most of the time, clouds and fog hid it, but the volcano was always there, watching us, even when we couldn’t see it. We forgot that we were living right on top of a fault zone.

If you’re a writer…

You might be interested in studying the plot complications the author dreams up for these kids who are basically stuck in the same setting for much of the story, as well as how she ramps up the tension. Hannah’s internal thoughts and worries all seemed so appropriate for her age, which might help writers who need a mentor text for a kid stuck in a life-threatening situation. 

If you’re an educator…

This is a good story for a read aloud or a comparative book study with other kinds of disaster stories. Some ways to use this book in your classroom:

- create a “disaster” book display with a place for students to share their thoughts on how they are different, which they liked best, etc.

- read in conjunction with non-fiction projects on the earth and earthquakes to spark ideas for studying how people are affected by changes in the earth

- encourage writing about “your worst experience” as a journal writing activity or theme for a class book

If you’re looking for another great list of middle grade books to read, check out Marvelous Middle Grade Monday on Greg Pattridge's blog.

DOG DRIVEN by Terry Lynn Johnson

I’m always drawn to stories about outdoor adventures and this is a great one with a female main character! Bonus points that it’s also a story about dogs and takes place in Northern Ontario.

Description from the publisher:

McKenna Barney is trying to hide her worsening eyesight and has been isolating herself for the last year. But at the request of her little sister, she signs up for a commemorative mail run race in the Canadian wilderness—a race she doesn’t know if she can even see to run.

Winning would mean getting her disease—and her sister’s—national media coverage, but it would also pit McKenna and her team of eight sled dogs against racers from across the globe for three days of shifting lake ice, sudden owl attacks, snow squalls, and bitterly cold nights.

 A page-turning adventure about living with disability and surviving the wilderness, Dog Driven is the story of one girl’s self-determination and the courage it takes to trust in others.

Dog Driven by Terry Lynn Johnson Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2019.

Why you want to read this book...

It’s a fast-paced read with a strong main character that has to make challenging choices. I learned a lot about Stargardt disease, as well as dog sledding, but mainly I  was in it for the exciting adventure of the dog sled race. I loved how McKenna fought through her deteriorating vision, snow and ice for her sister, her dogs and her friends. And she ended up learning something about herself, too.

Opening:

Whoever’s behind me is coming fast.

I peek over my shoulder and see a blurry line of shapes bearing down. Mustard glances back too, then faces forward and digs in.

If you’re a writer…

You might be interested in how the author weaves in the backstory about Stargardt disease and the details of the medical issues without dragging the pace and taking away from the action. It was interesting how she created fully rounded characters and showed their different reactions to the challenges of the disease and the dog sled race.

If you’re an educator…

This is a great book to have on hand for kids who enjoy wilderness survival stories like Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet, but with a more modern take. For more stories about sled dogs, try Terry Lynn Johnson's Ice Dogs (see my review here).

  

If you’re looking for another great list of middle grade books to read, check out Marvelous Middle Grade Monday on Greg Pattridge's blog.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday – FALCON WILD by Terry Lynn Johnson

 A different take on the typical survival story because it includes a falcon!                             

 

Description from the publisher:

Thirteen-year-old Karma is lost in the backcountry of Montana with her falcon, Stark, and a troubled runaway boy named Cooper. She’s desperate to find help for her dad and brother after a blown tire on a back road causes a terrible accident.

Karma wouldn’t be in this predicament if her parents hadn’t insisted on returning Stark to the bird’s original owner. Life at her father's bird sanctuary—and Karma’s dreams of becoming an apprentice falconer—will never be the same when she has to give Stark back. Lost in the wild, their bond only grows stronger as Karma teaches the falcon to hunt like a bird of prey. All the while, Cooper gets his own lessons on how to trust in newfound friendship.

Both Karma’s and Cooper's mettle is tested by mountain terrain, wild animals, severe weather, injury, and her own waning hope as this edge-of-your-seat wilderness adventure story vividly portrays the special bonds that can form between humans and animals.

Falcon Wild was written by Terry Lynn Johnson and published by Charlesbridge in 2017.

Why you want to read this book… 

It’s an exciting adventure story as well as a story of friendship between Karma and Cooper. One of the things I enjoy about middle grade novels are all the unique hobbies and interests kids have. The details about falconry in this book were super interesting!

“I’m dangling above a dark hole. The falcon-like part of my brain kicks in. My eyes dart, searching for a solution.”

If you’re a writer… 

The setting is a big part of this story, so it’s a good book to read to study to see how to integrate setting details.

 “The air has changed around me. The smells of cooling earth are lifting with the approaching dusk.”

If you’re a teacher…

I liked how the main character in this story made several “mistakes” and had to find ways to resolve her feelings about them.

“After all my time getting her to trust me, now I’m betraying her.”

Opening Line:

“Stark senses my fear and pulls at the jesses around her feet.”

Other Info:

I really enjoyed Terry Lynn Johnston’s novel Ice Dogs and I’m looking forward to reading her other new stand alone novel, Sled Dogs.

She is also writing a Survivor Diaries Series and the first book, Overboard! is now available. 

There’s a teacher’s guide for this novel here. 

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday – THE WOLF KEEPERS by Elise Broach

If you like animal stories, this middle grade novel is a good choice! I didn't know what to expect when I opened it, but the story and characters were so interesting I read it straight through without stopping.

 Description from the publisher:

Twelve-year-old Lizzie Durango and her dad have always had a zoo to call their home. Lizzie spends her days watching the animals and taking note of their various behaviors. Though the zoo makes for a unique home, it's a hard place for Lizzie to make lasting friends. But all this changes one afternoon when she finds Tyler Briggs, a runaway who has secretly made the zoo his makeshift home.

The two become friends and, just as quickly, stumble into a covert investigation involving the zoo wolves who are suddenly dying. Little do they know, this mystery will draw them into a high-stakes historical adventure involving the legend of John Muir as they try to navigate safely while lost in Yosemite National Park.

The Wolf Keepers was written by Elise Broach and published by Henry Holt & Company in 2016.

Why you want to read this book… 

It’s full of secrets you’ll want to know more about – Tyler’s mysterious past, the problem of what’s happening to the wolves, and the location of a lost cabin. The two main settings of the zoo and Yosemite National Park really come alive through the author's details. In addition to being a mystery and an animal story, this was also partly a wilderness survival story! Lizzie was a kind and compassionate character and there's an interesting story line of her getting to know tough-on-the-outside Tyler. The drawings by Alice Ratterree scattered through the story add to the already vivid picture from the descriptive language.

“It seemed wrong somehow to assume that animals experienced the same emotions as humans, and even more wrong to believe that animal feelings only mattered if they could be understood in human terms.”

If you’re a writer… 

There’s a lot to learn from this book about using specific details, building characters with depth and emotion, and crafting a strong plot.  

 “They could no longer hear the wolves howling, but Lizzie was sharply tuned to every strange sound carrying through the trees…the rustle of pine needles, the snapping of twigs, the occasional chirp, trill, or hoot of some night creature.”

If you’re a teacher…

This would be a great book for a class read aloud. There are interesting possibilities for discussions about animal rights and conservation (should we keep animals in zoo?) as well as social issues (Tyler’s circumstances and his own comments about himself). An author’s note explains the ties to real historical events and people, and details about her research on wolves.   

Opening line:

“A few feet away, the wolf stared at Lizzie with pale silver eyes, ears pricking forward in sharp triangles.”

Other info:

You can read the first chapter at the publisher’s website.

On her website, Elise Broach talks about how her life and writing interact: “when you’re a writer, every part of your life eventually works its way into your books, whether you intend it to or not, so there are definitely bits and pieces of real life—and real people—in all of my stories.”

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday – THE BIRCHBARK HOUSE

I discovered this book in the summer and really enjoyed it. I like reading about the details of life from different perspectives and time periods. This would be a really good book to share with students to help them learn about another culture.

Description from Amazon:

Nineteenth-century American pioneer life was introduced to thousands of young readers by Laura Ingalls Wilder's beloved Little House books. With The Birchbark House, award-winning author Louise Erdrich's first novel for young readers, this same slice of history is seen through the eyes of the spirited, 7-year-old Ojibwa girl Omakayas, or Little Frog, so named because her first step was a hop. The sole survivor of a smallpox epidemic on Spirit Island, Omakayas, then only a baby girl, was rescued by a fearless woman named Tallow and welcomed into an Ojibwa family on Lake Superior's Madeline Island, the Island of the Golden-Breasted Woodpecker. We follow Omakayas and her adopted family through a cycle of four seasons in 1847, including the winter, when a historically documented outbreak of smallpox overtook the island.

The Birchbark House was written by Louise Erdrich and published by Hyperion in 1999.

As a reader and teacher:

I really enjoyed this story – especially all the details of the chores Omakayas did, and her relationship with her family and the mischievous crow, Andeg. I learned more about the Ojibwa culture and thought more deeply about what they may have experienced. This story was really a survival story – one where the main character faced a variety of hardships, including sickness and death. It kept me hooked until the end.

I also liked the main character’s special connectedness to animals and how she learned from her family. 

As a writer: 

Since I grew up on the shores of Lake Superior, I was particularly interested in the setting. The author used lots of specific detail in her descriptions. Even though this story did not follow a traditional plot, the family conflicts and hardships, as well the development of the character Omakayas kept me interested and wanting to finish the story. The way the author sprinkled in traditional language added to the authenticity of the story (there is a glossary at the back).

Opening Line:

“The only person left alive on the island was a baby girl.”

Quotes:

“The air was fresh, delicious, smelling of new leaves in the woods, just-popped-out mushrooms, the pelts of young deer.”

“Everything was ice in her dream, and she was sliding on it.”

Other Info:

Louise Erdrich has written several other books in the Birchbark House series.

Here’s a discussion of the importance of names for the Ojibwa girl, Omakayas, in The Birchbark House.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday – THE GIRL IN THE WELL IS ME

I've enjoyed two of Karen Rivers' other middle grades, so I was looking forward to reading this one. I wasn't disappointed - there's lots of suspense!

Description from Amazon:

Longing to be one of the popular girls in her new town, Kammie Summers has fallen into a well during a (fake) initiation into their club. Now Kammie’s trapped in the dark, counting the hours, waiting to be rescued. (The Girls have gone for help, haven’t they?)

As hours pass, Kammie’s real-life predicament mixes with memories of the best and worst moments of her life so far, including the awful reasons her family moved to this new town in the first place. And as she begins to feel hungry and thirsty and light-headed, Kammie starts to imagine she has company, including a French-speaking coyote and goats that just might be zombies.

                    

The Girl in the Well is Me was written by Karen Rivers and published by Cormorant Books in 2016.

My Take:

I really didn’t like the girls in this book, reminding me of “mean girls” I encountered myself at various times in my life so far. I liked the way more layers of Kammie’s personality and history were revealed as the story continued, and I was scared for what might happen to her. It’s a good thing this was a shorter book that I could read fairly quickly.

For writers: 

I found it interesting to think about how the author created tension and suspense while writing in a stream of consciousness style. A really good example of writing where everything is written in the thoughts of the main character, and realistic in the way her thoughts jump from one idea to another related idea.  

Opening Line:

“The whole thing feels like a prank at first, like something they planned—a joke with a punchline.”

Quotes:

“But, obviously, popular and mean are tied together so tight they’re like those knots that just tighten and tighten no matter how hard you try to untangle them.”

“I start to cry again, but my throat is all clamped up from all that crying before and I can’t breathe, so I stop and instead do useful things, like whisper-screaming HELP every twelve seconds in the hopes of being helped.”

“I stare at the well wall in front of me, which is like looking into a shadow to try and find a light.”

Other Info:

Karen Rivers (www.karenrivers.com) is the author of 18 novels for adults, young adults and middle grade readers. Her middle grades include: Finding Ruby Starling, The Encyclopedia of Me and Waiting to Dive.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday – LOST IN THE BACKYARD

I really like survival stories so I really enjoyed this book! It’s another of the nominees for the 2016 Silver Birch Fiction Awards from the Ontario Library Association.

Description from the publisher:

Flynn hates the outdoors. Always has. He barely pays attention in his Outdoor Ed class. He has no interest in doing a book report on Lost in the Barrens. He doesn't understand why anybody would want to go hiking or camping. But when he gets lost in the wilderness behind his parents' friends' house, it's surprising what he remembers—insulate your clothes with leaves, eat snow to stay hydrated, build a shelter, eat lichen—and how hopelessly inept he is at survival techniques.

Lost in the Backyard was written by Alison Hughes and published by Orca Book Publishers  in 2015.

My Take:

Flynn was an interesting character, who’d much rather be playing a video game than tromping around in the woods.  I was really pulled into the story by his thoughts and the character voice. Even though it becomes a life or death situation, there’s a lot of sarcastic humor in this fast-paced novel. I really like how he surprised himself with what he remembered, and how he didn’t give up, despite his predicament.

For writers:  This is a great example of an adventure story with a first-person narrator. It’s short, so easy to analyze the plot. What stands out the most for me is the main character’s voice – it’s very realistic and engaging.

Opening Line:

“I am lying alone in the dark forest, dying.”

Quotes:

“I realized with a start that out here in this bleak wilderness, I was not some cool kid in slightly battered Nike Air Force 1s. I was meat.”

“I found a small clearing on the bank and forced myself to do the basketball defense drill I usually despised. It got us sweating hot in a hurry in a gym. Why wouldn’t it warm me up on the bank of a freezing river in the middle of a barren forest?”

“Sound just disappeared in the forest, like a stone thrown into a lake. I thought fondly of the coyotes; at least they shook the place up a bit with their nightly howl fests.”

Other Info:

Alison Hughes lives in Edmonton. She’s written two other middle grade novels (so far):

Poser, about a boy trying to hide is secret career as a model

On a Scale From Idiot to Complete Jerk, about a boy and his science project about jerks.

Here’s a quick video review from YA Librarian Mary in One Minute For Books:

Teaching Ideas:

Discuss: What were Flynn’s biggest mistakes? How did he overcome the challenges to survival?

Create a “map” of the story, showing where Flynn encountered his obstacles.

Read another survival story (see this list of Alternatives to Hatchet for other options). Compare some of the obstacles and skills the main characters used for survival.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday - THE SKELETON TREE

The tag line on the cover caught my attention: Only the wild survive. I’m a big fan of survival stories so when I saw this at the library, I had to sign it out.

Description from Amazon:  

Less than forty-eight hours after twelve-year-old Chris sets off on a sailing trip down the Alaskan coast with his uncle, their boat sinks. The only survivors are Chris and a boy named Frank, who hates Chris immediately. Chris and Frank have no radio, no flares, no food. Suddenly, they’ve got to forage, fish, and scavenge the shore for supplies. Chris likes the company of a curious, friendly raven more than he likes the prickly Frank. But the boys have to get along if they want to survive.

Because as the days get colder and the salmon migration ends, survival will take more than sheer force of will. Eventually, in the wilderness of Alaska, the boys discover an improbable bond—and the compassion that might truly be the path to rescue.

The Skeleton Tree was written by Iain Lawrence and published by Tundra Books (a division of Random House) in 2016.

My Take:

There’s lots of action in this story, starting from the beginning where the boys are shipwrecked. It was interesting how Frank knew more about managing in the wilderness than the main character Chris, who was actually much more likeable. Even though there was tension due to the challenges of surviving in the wilds, much of the book is actually about the relationship between the boys. I really liked the raven, Thursday, and found the slight supernatural elements related to it and the skeleton tree interesting and unique for this type of story.  

From a writer’s perspective, I liked the authentic details about the wilderness that the author embedded in the story. They helped to create a strong sense of place. It wasn’t always clear how much time was passing.  

Opening Line:

“When I wake in the night, I’m afraid.”

Quotes:

“I couldn’t believe how I’d tumbled so quickly form an ordinary life into my very worst nightmare.”

“The silence felt awful. I didn’t want to be the first to speak, but I imagined us both being so stubborn that we never talked again.”

“Below me, everything was so black that I could close my eyes and it made no difference. I had found the loneliest place in the world.”

Other Info:

Iain Lawrence has written 15 books for young readers. He worked in logging, fishing and as a forest fire fighter before becoming a journalist and writer. 

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: CONNECT THE STARS

I like survival stories, and this one was unique because it took place in a desert.

Description from Amazon:

When thirteen-year-olds Aaron and Audrey meet at a wilderness camp in the desert, they think their quirks are enough to prevent them from ever having friends. But as they trek through the challenging and unforgiving landscape, they learn that they each have what it takes to make the other whole.

Luminous and clever, Connect the Stars takes on some hefty topics of the day—bullying, understanding where you fit in, and learning to live with physical and mental challenges—all in a joyous adventure kids will love!

Connect the Stars was written by Marisa de los Santos and David Teague and published by Harper Collins in 2015.

My Take:

I really enjoyed the wilderness survival aspect of this story. I’ve never thought about what it would be like to survive in a desert before, and wondering what would happen kept me turning the pages. The story is told by two different main characters, Aaron and Audrey, who each have an interesting “super” ability that has made life difficult for them with friends and school. I liked the characters and was rooting for them to sort out their issues, which included dealing with bullies, feeling like they didn’t have any friends and figuring out to live with their abilities.

From a writing perspective, I liked the way the authors blended in information about the desert and the sensations the characters were feeling. The dialogue and perspectives of the two different main characters seemed realistic.

Opening Line:

“I was thirteen years old, and I could have written a book on lying.”

Quotes:

“I breathed in the air. It was clean. And clear. And smelled of something sharp and exciting, like a city on a spring day when you ride the school bus to visit the science museum.”

“Thinking is a lot harder than knowing.”

“I could tell that everything wasn’t really okay between me and the others, but every time I opened my mouth to speak, it was like all the words I could think of to say turned to dust on my tongue.”

Other Info:

Marisa de los Santos and David Teague are married. This is their second middle grade novel. They previously wrote Saving Lucas Biggs together. Marisa de los Santos also writes adult fiction. David Teague writes picture books, including Franklin’s Big Dreams.

For another take on this book, check out these thoughts from This Kid Reviews Books:  Review! Connect the Stars by Marisa de los Santos and David Teague.