When his father isnt looking, Brandon sneaks out to buy a toy in the mall. What a read! Not only that, she finds out the closures not for the claimed repairs needed, but so Negroes cant swim there. Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2022. Augusta Scattergood On the way into the Tower lobby, Brandon helps a Black man trying to get on the escalator and juggling three cups of coffee and his briefcase. Gratz examines each event carefully to pass the message and encourage people to work together for common good. September 11, 2001, New York City: Brandon is visiting his dad at work, on the 107th floor of the World Trade Center. The chapters detailing Brandons experiences surviving the attack and collapse of the Twin Towers alternate with those of an equally young Afghanistan girl named Reshmina. A must-have. Brandon seems haunted by what happened in the school leading to his suspension. A must-have. Brandon impulsively grabs a stuffed animal of the Tasmanian Devil from the debris as a good luck token. Cons: I found Brandons story much more compelling and suspenseful than Reshminas, which had to provide a lot of context about Afghanistan that took away from the action. Brandon knows his father is dead. It looks like WhatsApp is not installed on your phone. CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | This action-packed novel tackles topics both timely and timeless: courage, survival, and the quest for home. In the caves, there is an angry confrontation about the prolonged American occupation between Taz and the villagers. The following edition was used for this study guide: Gratz, Alan. With Brandons help, the people get off just before it drops down the shaft. But the story is wonderful and recommend it, with permission. 2021 Chicago Public Librarys Best of the Best ListBest Fiction for Older Readers Explanations for the U.S. military invasion of Afghanistan in the authors note and in characters conversations too simplistically present the U.S. presence. If Pasoon goes through with his plan to join the Taliban and they find out his family has been concealing Taz, it will mean death for everyone. Can Brandon surviveand escape? The World Trade Center is hit by a jet while Brandon is in the elevator, and he must find his way down 89 floors to escapeafter trying to go back up to rescue his father. I really enjoyed Refugee, but this one was not the author's best work, in my opinion. Violence leads to political and economic turmoil. by read more. This tautly paced novel explores the events of that tragedy and the subsequent American response through two parallel story lines. Pros: Alan Gratz has produced another historical fiction novel filled with compelling characters and heart-pounding action. Get it Jan 19 - 24. One devastating day. School Library Journal. I loved how Gratz put into perspective that the event Brandon is enduring killed many lives . Ground Zero study guide contains a biography of Alan Gratz, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. This is my first Gratz book. He tells her that he joined the army to help avenge the attack, but that now that mission had lost its purpose. This MG book will be a hit with my students & generate a bunch of conversations between them & their parents. Ground Zero by Alan Gratz. The occurrence of the new events scares everyone. Taz is the nickname of an America soldier who develops a close bond with Reshmina. Three climate disasters. The alternating event occurs in the countryside region of Afghanistan in 2019. Reshmina dreams of being more than the dutiful wife and mother that her Muslim culture demands her to be. If I were still teaching 6th or 7th grade reading, this author would be one I could recommend to certain students. Please try again. Leo works as a kitchen manager in one of the hotels set in North Tower. Though ever cautious and fearful of the ubiquitous soldiers, she is largely unaware of the extent of the danger around her; the Resistance kept even its participants safer by telling them as little as possible, and Annemarie has never been told that her older sister Lise died in its service. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. Parallel storylines take readers through the lives of two young people on Sept. 11 in 2001 and 2019. The takeaway message questioning the ongoing American presence in Afghanistan might have been quite different a decade ago. Ground Zero Summary & Study Guide includes comprehensive information and analysis to Oscar, Elizabeth. Reshmina saves the life of an American Soldier and puts her whole village in danger. Brandons father, Leo Chavez, works as a chef at one of the restaurants situated in the North Tower. Reshmina and Pasoon thus becomes engaged in a face-off over the fate of the soldier with the strange doll attached to his uniform. Reshmina is barely in her teens but sympathizes with a wounded American soldier who appears deeply hurt. This Study Guide consists of approximately 62pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - Library 2035 S. Naper Blvd., Naperville, IL 60565 . This book captivated me and I read it in a day. War conflicts bring losses and nobody emerges a winner. RELEASE DATE: Feb. 2, 2021. 2023 Mississippi Magnolia Award Nominee Two years earlier, Reshminas older sister had been killed when her wedding had been strafed by American drones dispatched under the mistaken assumption that wedding guests firing off rifles to celebrate were in fact a Taliban sniper nest. 2022-2023 Pennsylvania Young Readers Choice Award Nominee On September 11, 2001, Brandon joins his father at his job in the North Tower of the World Trade Center. 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards Finalist It didn't seem that long ago when I walked home after school to find my mom in a frenzy - her mother and aunt had left for New York the week before on a bus tour and shopping trip around New York City. For a Middle Grader reading this I recommend a parent reading this 1st to see if it is a story you child should read? War leads to a lose-lose situation. Trouble signing in? Categories: Can they survive when their army is after him? A few moments later, Brandon and his father arrive at the working place. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. He and Richard make their way to the exit, using the Warner Brothers Store to guide them out. 2022-2023 Tennessee State Book Award Nominee This may be just be my new Gratz favorite. During this time the building starts tremoring convulsively. Aber Ecken des Buches leider schon geknickt. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make yourown. He offers Reshmina help getting her into a program that would train her to be a UN interpreter. The novel explores the consequences of war on innocent civilians who have no comprehension of the happenings leading up to the confrontation. will review the submission and either publish your submission or providefeedback. Alan Gratzs books always hit where it hurts, in the best possible way, but Ground Zero might just be the one to have the most impact for me. That was how I learned that Brandon's story takes place the year 9/11 happened and Reshmina's story takes place on 9/11 only 20 years later. Following September 11, 2001 attacks, the American soldiers wage war on Afghanistan to revenge against the atrocities committed by the terrorists. Suspended from school for standing up to a bully, he goes to work with his father on 9/11. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make yourown. With his signature accessibility and insight, Gratz tackles events on both U.S. soil and abroad inGround Zero.. will appeal to middle-grade readers, who were born after the events of 9/11, and to those adults who lived through it and will never forget. Then Brandon feels the ground shudder overhead and then everything goes dark. RELEASE DATE: April 1, 1989. Ground Zero by Alan Gratz | Official Book Trailer Watch on Praise The plot starts at a heart-pounding pace and never relentsA contemporary history lesson with the uplifting message that humanity's survival depends on us working for, not against, one another. She begs him not to tell the Taliban about the American soldier, that they will kill his entire family for harboring the American. Taz tells her he understands loss, that as a child he lost his father in the 9-11 attacks in New York, that afterwards he was adopted by a man he met in the Towers that day. . I really liked the book and the broken under ground mall part was great and the building falling over I do recommend it. bestseller.In time for. But Reshmina also learns something surprising about the roots of this endless war. Not sure about reading more. The two storylines develop in parallel through alternating chapters. Award-winning, New York Times bestselling author Alan Gratz merges the worlds of historical fiction and super hero comics in this one-of-a-kind graphic novel that is sure to be met with major enthusiasm from fans of all ages. I was worried it was going to be an "us against them" approach. everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Ground Zero. As he tries to climb along a ledge to get to the opposite stairwell, Brandon gets dizzy and almost falls to his death when he is rescued by the man he helped earlier, whose name is Richard Lowery. 2021 Amazon.com Childrens Top 20 Best Books of the Year So Far GradeSaver, 17 February 2022 Web. There are rulesYou punch somebody, you get suspended, no matter why you did it (5). by ALAN GRATZ Paperback . The novel was published in early 2021 to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks and quickly became a New York Times bestseller. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . September 11, 2019. Her twin brother, Pasoon, never forgave the American infidels and vows to join the Taliban insurgency. The novel covers in alternating chapters the stories of two characters, Brandon Chavez, a nine-year-old boy living in New York City in 2001, and Reshmina, an 11-year-old Afghan girl living near Asadabad in 2019. While heading to the workplace, Leo advises his son against engaging in fistfights. Lois Lowry When governments engage in endless wars, citizens tend to bear the brunt of war consequences. Four kids fighting for their lives. After you claim a section youll have 24 hours to send in a draft. Get help and learn more about the design. Print Word PDF Take our free Ground Zero quiz below, with 25 multiple choice questions that help you test your knowledge. Augusta Scattergood. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. Out of nowhere, an airplane slams into the tower, creating a fiery nightmare of terror and confusion. Nothing will ever be the same. Then you follow Reshmina who lives in Afghanistan. After you claim a section youll have 24 hours to send in a draft. I have looked it up and no the story line in the book is not true, however the main event in it is obviously true. In Stock. by Alan Gratz Ground Zero Summary These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. More books than SparkNotes. 1996-2023, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Because she has been allowed to learn English as a result of the American presence in her country, they are actually able to speak and understand each other whenever massive cultural differences do not obstruct things. The rumor had been started by the Taliban itself who then ambush the government troops. everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Ground Zero. Ground Zero by Alan Gratz 9781338245752 (Hardback, 2021). Ice. An editor 2021 Amazon.com Best Books of the Year, 2023 Wisconsin Golden Archer Middle Grade Book Award Nominee Turns out, cell service wasn't working very well that day as everyone was trying to get ahold of loved ones. You can help us out by revising, improving and updating Hell breaks loose when the complex building is attacked by terrorists leading to many deaths of innocent people including Brandons father. Ground Zero. Two kids. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Readers are certain to be inspired by the courage and determination shown by Brandon and Reshmina in Ground Zero. Before he departs, he gifts her a worn stuffed animal of the cartoon character the Tasmanian Devil that he says has always brought him luck. Alan Gratz has done it again. It is during this time the first plane is flown into the twin towers. There were lots of plot twists that were really pushed. Gratz moves back and forth between the two narratives in short, nail-biting chapters that create a vivid picture of each setting and make readers feel invested in each characters relationships and choices, and in the high-stakes global forces that affect the intimate details of their lives. I used small sticky notes to separate the two stories. Author Alan Gratz delivers a haunting and powerful page-turner of a novel, this time focusing on terrorism and the costs of a long-fought war. Publishing in time for the 20th anniversary of 9/11, this tautly paced novel by Gratz ( Resist) explores the events . With his signature accessibility and insight, Gratz tackles events on both U.S. soil and abroad inGround Zero.. I also felt like this book would be much too intense for my 11 year old. In time for the twentieth anniversary of 9/11, master storyteller Alan Gratz (Refugee) delivers a pulse-pounding and unforgettable take on history and hope, revenge and fear - and the stunning links between the past and present. The Hemphills African-American maid, Emma, a mother figure to Glory and her sister Jesslyn, tells her, Dont be worrying about what you cant fix, Glory honey. But Glory does, becoming an activist herself when she writes an indignant letter to the newspaper likening hateful prejudice to dog doo that makes her preacher papa proud. Ground Zero by Alan Gratz February 27, 2022. . The story shows how retribution causes more troubles rather than solutions. In the contemporary timeline, Reshmina is an Afghan girl living in foothills near the Pakistan border that are a battleground between the Taliban and U.S. armed forces. Many others weren't as lucky though, and this story was definitely an important one to be told and to remember the lives that were lost and the brave souls who sacrificed their lives helping others. 2021-2022 Lectio Book Award Master List. Publishers Weekly Bestseller List Finally, she decides to help the soldier from being killed by the Taliban.