01/22/2024

Set during the attack on Pearl Harbor that drew the U.S. into WWII, this tensely wrought, propulsive historical novel by Gratz (Two Degrees) centers the compelling friendship between 13-year-old aspiring writer Frank McCoy and illustrator Stanley Summers, who are brainstorming their own comic book characters. The pair live in the seemingly idyllic Ford Island Naval Air Station in Pearl Harbor, where their fathers are stationed. Frank harbors secret anxiety surrounding his perceived lack of courage, especially evident when he avoids helping Stanley confront bullies, which prompts Stanley to ask, “How do you think you can write about heroes if you can’t be one yourself?” These paralyzing fears come into stark relief when, while the pair are on a battleship tour, Japanese planes begin bombing unsuspecting military targets. After diving from a sinking ship, the friends struggle to reach home amid violence, chaos, and death. Though the novel’s tone is sometimes uneven and text can read as didactic, Gratz sensitively handles characters’ suspicion of Stanley surrounding his Japanese American heritage, and offers a gripping, well-researched account of courage and friendship in this powerful depiction of American racism and imprisonment. Back matter includes a comic book created by Frank and Stanley and an author’s note. Ages 8–12. (Feb.)

Praise for Heroes:

* "Gratz does his usual splendid job of creating the visceral drama of battle alongside fully realized characters. He handles the theme of heroism well, while not straying into the didactic, and is especially good at depicting the enduring friendship of the two boys as, together, they experience the date that will live in infamy." — Booklist, starred review

"Vivd... fast-paced. The humanity of the characters and the on-the-ground perspective evoke sympathy for those who perished in the attack... A propulsive wartime story with an earnest protagonist at its heart." — Kirkus Reviews

"[A] gripping, well-researched account of courage and friendship... powerful." — Publishers Weekly

Praise for Two Degrees:

A New York Times bestseller

An ABA Indie Bestseller

A USA Today Bestseller

A Junior Library Guild Selection

A Barnes & Noble Best Book of the Year

An Amazon Best Book of the Month

"A Hollywood thriller of a book...essential for this moment." — The New York Times

"Gratz renders pulse-pounding ecological tales and high-stakes calamity with the brisk pacing of a thriller...gripping [and] timely." — Publishers Weekly

"Gratz plunges his middle schoolers into desperate, life-threatening straits in three wildly dangerous scenarios... delivered with wrenching, dramatic urgency." — Kirkus Reviews

"A seamless, thrilling adventure...important." — Booklist

Praise for Ground Zero:

* "The plot starts at a heart-pounding pace and never relents... In a superbly structured plot, the two protagonists experience similar perils, and both respond with determination and hope... A contemporary history lesson with the uplifting message that humanity's survival depends on us working for, not against, one another. A must-have." — School Library Journal, starred review

* "The pace is quick (don't blink or you'll miss something!), its emotions deeply authentic, and the highly visual settings resonate with accuracy. With a moving author's note, pertinent back matter, and a surprise twist which brings the book full circle, Gratz delivers another winning read." — Booklist, starred review

"Gratz's deeply moving writing paints vivid images of the loss and fear of those who lived through the trauma of 9/11." — Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Allies:

* "A tour de force of war fiction." — Booklist, starred review

* "Both an excellent, inclusive narration of important historical events and a fast-paced, entertaining read." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "A tautly paced and multifaceted portrait. . . . This gripping novel offers memorable insights into the contributions and alliances of everyday people." — Publishers Weekly, starred review

* "A vivid and detailed snapshot of the D-Day Invasion from multiple complex and diverse characters . . . meticulously researched [and] honest." — School Library Journal, starred review

Praise for Grenade:

* "Told by both young men, the story is gripping from start to finish as each encounters ambushes, engages in battles and experiences their devastating aftermath, and mourns the plight of innocent civilians caught in the middle. Impossible to put down, the story unapologetically demonstrates how war affects people emotionally and physically. . . . Action fans will have this flying off the shelves." — Booklist, starred review

"The plot is suspenseful and the characters sympathetic." — Horn Book

"Intense and fast-paced, this is a compelling, dark, yet ultimately heartening wartime story." — Kirkus Reviews

"Gratz (Refugee) depicts the events and fallout of WWII's 'Love Day' while exploring the emotional and cultural damages of war." — Publishers Weekly

"Chilling." — School Library Journal

"The book illustrates the horrors of war and the narrators' dual realization that the enemy is a person, too. This is a sad and compelling story that sheds some light on a battle that is rarely mentioned in books written for juvenile readers. . . . Highly Recommended." — School Library Connection

Praise for Refugee:

An Amazon Best Book of the Year

A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year

A Kirkus Best Book of the Year

A Texas Bluebonnet Master List selection

"Unflinching and sympathetic." — The New York Times

"Grade A: A stunning, poignant novel." — Entertainment Weekly

"Harrowing, timely." — People Magazine

"A gripping, visceral, and hold-your-breath intense story." — John Green, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Fault in Our Stars

* "Gratz accomplishes a feat that is nothing short of brilliant, offering a skillfully wrought narrative laced with global and intergenerational reverberations that signal hope for the future... Poignant, respectful, and historically accurate while pulsating with emotional turmoil, adventure, and suspense." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "[A] hard-hitting novel... Filled with both tragic loss and ample evidence of resilience, these memorable and tightly plotted stories contextualize and give voice to current refugee crises, underscoring that these journeys are born out of a desperate need for security and safety." — Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Gratz, who is known for well-written and well-researched historical fiction, doesn't disappoint. His latest is timely and moving... This compelling novel will help young people make sense of today's refugee crisis. Meant to be read, discussed, and shared widely." — School Library Journal

"Some novels are engaging and some novels are important. Refugee is both." — #1 New York Times bestselling author Ruta Sepetys

"This heart-stopping novel is not only compelling — it is necessary." — Judy Blundell, National Book Award-winning author of What I Saw and How I Lied

"An incredibly important, heartrending, edge-of-the-seat read, bringing light to the plight of immigrants who search for safety and freedom." — Pam Muñoz Ryan, author of the New York Times bestseller and Newbery Honor Book Echo

"With urgent, clear-eyed storytelling, Gratz's Refugee compellingly explores the desperation and strength that unites those struggling for a place to call home." — Eliot Schrefer, New York Times bestselling author and two-time National Book Award finalist of Rescued and Endangered

"Full of struggle, heroism, and non-stop adventure, Refugee is not only an important book, it's a terrific story." — Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, author of the New York Times bestseller and Newbery Honor Book The War That Saved My Life

"Powerful and compelling. Refugee is a story about what unites us all." — Christina Diaz Gonzalez, award-winning author of Moving Target

Praise for Projekt 1065

* "While the book is replete with fascinating historical insight, Gratz has also crafted a suspenseful mystery that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. With short, action-packed chapters, it is a great choice for reluctant readers as well... A winning combination of action, suspense, and historical setting." — School Library Journal, starred review

* "A rare insider's glimpse into the Hitler Youth: animated, well-researched, and thought-provoking." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"[A] high-action spy thriller." — Booklist

Praise for Code of Honor:

"Readers will be swept up by both the intrigue and the rapid pacing... Kamran is a smart and sympathetic narrator, and readers will be happy to spend time with him in this action-packed thriller." — Kirkus Reviews

"Exciting, at times ripped from the headlines, and scary, this cinematic work has layers of intrigue and danger in each scene... will appeal to a variety of readers and will raise questions about patriotism, loyalty, and trust... A winner." — School Library Journal

"Vivid characters and timely topics, such as posttraumatic stress disorder, contribute to making Code of Honor a first-rate novel." — Voice of Youth Advocates

Praise for Prisoner B-3087:

A Junior Library Guild Selection

Golden Sower Award, 2014-2015 Winner Nebraska

Isinglass Teen Read Award, 2014-2015 Winner New Hampshire

Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award, 2014-2015 Winner

Junior Book Award, 2015-2016 Winner South Carolina

Grand Canyon Reader Award, 2015-2016 Winner Arizona

Truman Readers Award, 2015-2016 Winner Missouri

Reader's Choice Awards, Winner 2015-2016 Virginia

Volunteer State Book Award Winner, 2015-2016 Tennessee

"A powerful story, well told." — School Library Journal

"A bone-chilling tale not to be ignored." — Kirkus Reviews

"[A] remarkable survival story." — Booklist

"Gratz ably conveys... fatalism, yearning, and determination in the face of the unimaginable." — Publishers Weekly

"Heartbreaking, gripping, raw, and emotional... storytelling at its finest." — Voice of Youth Advocates

2023-12-06
A vivid account of the Pearl Harbor attack through the eyes of a tween boy.

It’s December 1941 in Hawaii. The war overseas feels distant for 13-year-old Frank McCoy, a white Florida transplant and son of a Navy fighter pilot, and his best friend, Stanley Summers, a biracial (Japanese American and white) local boy whose dad works at the Naval Air Station. The boys are preoccupied with the superhero comic they’re creating together. But on December 7th, while Frank’s sister’s sailor boyfriend is giving them a tour of the USS Utah, Japanese planes begin bombing Pearl Harbor. In the fast-paced chapters that follow, the boys witness numerous horrors. They also recognize that Stanley is increasingly perceived with hostility by many white people; this awareness ultimately allows Frank to address an episode that haunts him from his past relating to friendship, loyalty, and mental health. The humanity of the characters and the on-the-ground perspective evoke sympathy for those who perished in the attack. Foreshadowing Spider-Man’s most famous line, the book ties together the friends’ love of superheroes (“Getting superpowers is one thing. Choosing how to use your powers is another”) with commentary in the author’s note on America’s responsibility to use its immense powers wisely (“what we continue to do now and in the future, will decide if we are heroes”). The novel closes with Frank and Stanley’s 10-page comic, which serves as an epilogue.

A propulsive wartime story with an earnest protagonist at its heart. (language note, map) (Historical fiction. 9-13)