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GROUND ZERO

Genre: Historical Fiction • Middle Grade • Drama
Recommended Age: 10–14 • Grades 5–9
Themes: Courage • Family • Loss • Hope • Resilience

by Alan Gratz

Two children. Two worlds. One unforgettable day.

On September 11, 2001, Brandon is visiting his father at the World Trade Center when the unimaginable happens. Nearly two decades later, in Afghanistan, Reshmina faces a very different kind of danger when she encounters an American soldier during an attack on her village.

As their stories unfold across two time periods, both young people must make difficult choices in the face of fear, danger, and uncertainty.

🏙️ September 11, 2001
🇦🇫 Afghanistan
💪 Courage & resilience
❤️ Family & sacrifice
🕊️ Hope in difficult times

A powerful story about courage, compassion, and the human cost of conflict.

📚 For readers ready to explore history through the eyes of young people who lived through extraordinary circumstances.