Another great story from Alan Gratz. This really does tell the story of Pearl Harbor in a way that is captivating for middle school students. Gratz has managed to show the horrifying way Japanese Americans were treated immediately following the attack in a way students will feel and understand.

I have read many Alan Gratz books and he never disappoints. He is able to take history and intwine it into a story keeping the reader engaged and learning.

Frank and Stanley are best friends! Their fathers are stationed at Pearl Harbor naval base in Hawaii. The boys enjoy sunshine while writing and drawing their own comic books!

On December 7th, everything changes.

Frank and Stanley are touring a battleship when the Japanese planes fly overhead, dropping bombs. They realize that America is being attacked!

The boys struggle to find a safe place, but no where is safe. Frank is shocked to learn how cruel their friends are being to Stanley, whose mom is Japanese-American. Frank cannot even imagine how Stanley feels. The boys get caught up in the mayhem of the day.

This is another great historical fiction novel by Alan Gratz! Middle graders will relate with Frank and Stanley and the issues both boys experience will resonate with today's readers. This book tackles topics like bravery, responsibility, and anxiety, while also giving examples on how to be an ally.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic for an advanced reader copy. Opinions are my own.

Powerful!
Frank and Stanley, two close young buddies, live on the Pearl Harbor Naval Base, where their fathers are stationed.
December 7, 1941, strikes and as Franklin Roosevelt put it, it was "a day that will live in infamy." The boys are caught up the mayhem and destruction that ensues.
Gratz is so adept at conveying history alongside human interaction, creating an unforgettable story that is certain to resonate with older elementary and middle school students.
The description of the carnage that the boys witness that day is so realistic and memorable. The clear messages, of which there are many, helps prepare the readers with so much to think about. The human spirit prevails! Gratz tackles heavy subjects, including the racism towards Japanese Americans then, and the intolerance but balances it with the perseverance and strength of the boys.
I especially liked the comic book ending. The originality and authentic concept were carried to fruition by those great main characters.
Great book!

Thank you to Scholastic and Netgalley for the digital arc.
I have a few favorite authors who specialize in historical fiction, and Alan Gratz is in their company.
He has the ability to recreate historical events and scenarios through the eyes of his characters.
As the dependents of a naval pilot and a Crew chief, best friends Frank and Stanley are living on Ford's Island at Pearl Harbor far removed from the wars ravaging the the globe. They are absorbed in writing and illustrating their comic book super hero. They are aboard the USS Utah when the attack on Pearl Harbor begins, and although they are surrounded by dead and wounded sailors and the oil and fires from the sinking ships, they begin their harrowing journey home. Since Stanley's mother is Japanese American, prejudice and bullying begins and the book expands on the theme of what it means to stand up for your friend when things go array. Add this to your collection or TBR stack now!

I’m a big fan of Alan Gratz, and Heroes was no exception. I love how he connects the stories of young people facing challenges during wartime. This was a thought-provoking book about Pearl Harbor, showing the strength of the human spirit—definitely worthy of 4 stars!

Alan Gratz is a master! This title was an action packed look at the bombing of Pearl from the eyes of a young boy as Gratz is likely to do. I wanted to read more when it was all done!

Thank you, Netgalley, for the opportunity to read this book. I have been a fan of Gratz for awhile, and this story did not disappoint. I am confident my 6th and 7th graders are going to love it!

Another great historical fiction story from Alan Gratz. The story does a good job of conveying the fear and horror of Pearl Harbor without being too graphic or scary for younger middle grade readers.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Alan Gratz is such a fantastic historical fiction author. I have read a LOT of WWII books and I really appreciated how much attention this book gave to how Japanese Americans were treated after Pearl Harbor.

This ended up being a DNF for my daughter who just didn’t find it as compelling as his previous books despite her interest in the topic and time period.

As always, Gratz delivers an excellent historical fiction. It was exciting and emotional all wrapped into a book that also teaches. Middle graders will be able to relate to a character and it is still relevant today after COVID. I recommend this to teachers for classrooms or required reading.

Alan Gratz's books are an automatic home run with my middle school students and this story focusing on the events of Dec. 7, 1941 in Pearl Harbor is sure to be no different. My students love reading historical fiction about WWII and Gratz offers interesting insight into specific events and actions of individuals that are not often highlighted in WWII fiction. Gratz has a unique skill in evoking empathy for characters in a short amount of reading time. This book is action packed, yet I still felt very emotional when the characters were challenged. Great notes in the back, as always, that indicate how the timeline was changed to support more informational content.

Like all Alan Gratz books, this one was just as good and didn't disappoint. Too many historical fiction seem to almost glamorize war and these terrible atrocities, and Gratz is great at maintaining realism. His stories are gripping and timeless keeping kids on edge and turning pages and this one certainly kept me going, to!

Gratz has a unique ability to allow anyone to feel connected to characters who are different from them. Heroes is an accurate, insightful, and emotional look at real life during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
And I definitely cried at the end.

Yet again, Alan Gratz brings history to life in a way that draws in both teens and the adults who love them. In this telling, Gratz brings to light a story of those often omitted in the retellings of this fateful and tragic day. These characters, like so many others created by Gratz, will not easily forgotten.

Thank you NetGalley and Scholastic Press for an ARC copy of Heros: A Novel of Pearl Harbor by Alan Gratz. This book is fantastic! Very age appropriate. It focuses on Frank and Stanley, best friends, who find themselves smack dab in the middle of the attack on Pearl Harber. It weaves history and action together seamlessly which will keep kids reading and turning those pages. I highly recommend this to middle-grade readers, but I think older readers would enjoy it as well. Alan Gratz is a wonderful writer! I can't wait to read more of his books with my kiddos.

This was so moving and well done! The friendship was beautiful and it added so much emotional weight to the journey. The book did not back away from the horrors of the day, but it wasn't overly descriptive either- I think it found the perfect balance. Highly recommend!

Another great historical fiction novel from Alan Gratz. This was is full of action and moves very quickly. I particularly liked the comic book tie-in and how Frank and Stanley’s relationship developed during the course of the book. My students will surely enjoy reading this one.

Alan Grantz is a very popular author in my classroom. I taught his book, Refugee, for years. Many students in my classes have read every single Grantz book out there or are working on it. Therefore, I will definitely be getting Heros for my classroom.

Grantz does an amazing job writing realistic historical fiction that kids can understand, and this book is no different. Heroes takes us through the story of 2 boys trying to survive the attack on Pearl Harbor. One of those boys is a Japanese American, and the book is able to show how Japanese Americans were treated after the attack. It's heartbreaking and such an important read.