Alan Gratz's latest historical fiction for middle grade is one that will fly off the shelves!
Middle Graders love reading about World War II, and this novel will fill both their minds and their hearts!
The story follows Will and Stanley - friends who live in Pearl Harbor while their dads serve in the Navy. Will struggles with crippling fear and is thrown into the midst of his worst nightmare when he is on a ship in Pearl Harbor on December 7.
Will and Stanley witness unimaginable horror as the bombs and bullets fly and they fight to stay alive and rescue others. Alan Gratz doesn't pull punches with his description of soldiers fighting for their lives and the destruction that is everywhere.
The horror doesn't end after Will and Stanley save the lives of soldiers, it's just beginning for Stanley as a young Japanese American who is now under suspicion!
I can't wait to share this important story with our students . . . I'll be sure to order several copies!

Alan Gratz does it again! This is a fast-paced, compelling historical fiction narrative that weighs in at just over 200 pages making it a perfect read for both avid readers and reluctant ones. Gratz uses short chapters to keep kids hooked as this story dives into (no pun intended) Pearl Harbor and its aftermath. Characters are diverse, and the issue of racism toward Japanese-Americans falling the declaration of war is explored. I would have loved to see more "different perspective"-style chapters like Gratz's other books, but it was a great read nonetheless!

A must-purchase for all upper elementary and middle school collections. You can't go wrong with a Gratz novel!

A moving and intense story about two boys caught in the throes of the Pearl Harbor attack and the affects it has on their personal life. Alan Gratz is an absolute master at writing about two characters in one historical event. He writes about said event and how it adversely affects each person so differently. He brings such a unique perspective to these books. It is vitally important to know these stories and to know that things could be uncomfortable and that history isn’t always black and white.

Me and my boys will ALWAYS read these books and come away with such a greater understanding about events and the people it hit!

Gratz narrates a fairly simple story of two friends trying to survive the attack that drew the US into WWII. Frank and Stanley navigate the bombing of Pearl Harbor, trying to get back to their families and safety. Meanwhile they are navigating an awkwardness in their friendship and the painful realization that Stanley's Japanese ancestry now suddenly means more than it used to. I found it slightly odd that they found time, while dogding bombs at an airfield, to discuss anxiety from past traumas, but with the story contained to just a few days, I suppose the character development had to happen fast. This was a quick read and should find an audience.

Oh man!! The action started on page one and didn’t stop until the very end. I flew through this because I just couldn’t put it down — I was so stressed and nervous for Stanley and Frank!

Heroes: A Novel of Pearl Harbor by Alan Gratz is a great addition to middle grades offerings about World War II because of its focus on the beginning of the war for the US in the Pacific. Just as the themes of friendship and acceptance run throughout, descriptions of the violence of the Japanese attack do too. Heroes will appeal to readers who are interested in historical fiction and comic books and have enjoyed previous titles by Gratz. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Heroes is a wonderful way to teach middle school about Pearl Harbor. Gratz does a good job explaining how things would have been on the island. I enjoyed the friendship between the two boys. It was pretty eye-opening how things were for certain people during this time. Fans of I Survived will love this book. I know quite a few of my middle school students will devour this book.

I love Alan Gratz, and this book is high on the list of my favorites. This one is told in a bit simpler, straightforward way that I loved. Gratz normally writes with multiple points of view across different timelines. Instead, this one is told only from pre-teen Frank McCoy's perspective and has a linear timeline that is easy to follow.

Frank and Stanley are just two normal preteens whose dads are stationed at Pearl Harbor. They idolize the superheroes featured in popular comics and dream to publish their own comic one day. When the Pearl Harbor attacks suddenly happen, they find that they have plenty of bravery and courage and sometimes even the average person can be a hero.

The story tackles topics like anxiety, worry, and bravery, and there is a deep evaluation of how Asian Americans, especially Japanese Americans, were treated during this time period. Stanley is Japanese-American, and Frank must find ways to support and sometimes defend him in the aftermath of the attacks.

I would highly recommend this to readers who are interested in Gratz but may be intimidated by the length and complexity of some of his other books. There are still very graphic descriptions of war and intense realistic topics and events discussed, but it feels younger. I also really liked the comic strip included at the end of the book (no spoilers, but it's so fun!).

Action packed historical fiction for middle grade readers set during World War II. Thank you for the chance to read early

Wow. Wow wow wow. All I can say is Alan Gratz has done it again. So excited to get this one in kids' hands soon!

What I love about Alan Gratz's books is that they pull you in on page one and don't let go the rest of the book. He really puts you right in the middle of the action.

We meet Frank and Stanley, best friends who live at Pearl Harbor. They love comics and are working on writing their own. But while Frank loves the idea of superheroes like Captain America, he's terrified of everything and freezes up whenever danger arises. The morning of December 7th, they are visiting one of the battleships with a family friend when the Japanese attack. Will Frank be able to make it to safety or will he freeze and get himself and everyone around him killed?

This story is non-stop. I thought he did a great job of putting you in the middle of everything. I also appreciated the sub-plot about Stanley being a Japanese American character and what that would have looked like. I also really enjoyed how he wove superheroes and comics into the story, even including a comic written by Frank and Stanley at the end!

I think this book is an excellent introduction to the topic and would be even better paired with something like History Smashers: Pearl Harbor.

Middle-grade reader or not, @alan.gratz doesn’t ever let us down. I was so excited to see this book announced. We need more stories in the Pacific during WWII. This is a beautiful and intense story of two boys growing up on Ford Island; Pearl Harbor was their playground…until the Japanese attack. The boys are in the middle of it all when the attack starts. During this time, the boys are terrified but also use their strengths to try to help. changing their lives forever like many on December 7, 1941.

The two friends love comics, and one of their names is Stanley. I have to wonder if this was a nod to Stan Lee.

Thank you, @netgalley and @Scholastic, for an advanced reader copy.

Alan Gratz has done it again! Heroes: A Novel of Pearl Harbor is the latest historical fiction tale by Gratz, and I can't wait for my middle school students to read it! I don't think there is anyone writing historical fiction for kids today who capture their imaginations like Gratz does. Although World War II and Pearl Harbor have been written about extensively, Gratz takes a unique, relatable approach to the topic by tying in comic books and superheroes, helping young readers to think about what truly defines a hero. With Gratz's trademark empathy, he shows the devastation brought on Japanese-Americans by the American response to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Themes of race, friendship, identity, and bravery run throughout the entire novel, giving lots of opportunity for deep conversations and further reflections. Thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this title ahead of its publication.

Alan Gratz is my twelve year old son's favorite author and I believe we own all of his YA books. Therefore, I was really excited when I was given the opportunity to read this ARC. I think this book is going to be a slam dunk with the YA crowd. The book is a really easy read and weaves in plenty of historical facts, while keeping it relevant to the age of the boys in the book. I absolutely loved the addition of the superhero and comic book themes. I also appreciated the theme of responsibility and racism that can relate to today. The action in this book starts pretty immediately and doesn't let up until the end. I can't wait for this book to be published and to get a copy for my son. As he does with all Alan Gratz books, I suspect he will devour the whole book in a weekend.

What an amazing story of fear and friendship as our two heroes navigate the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The historical facts Gratz includes make the story flow nicely and it’s enjoyable while also staying relatively accurate.

My middle school students will read anything by Alan Gratz, and his latest will be no different! I love that this is a bit of a departure in that the story is told from one character's perspective. While there is only one story line, there is enough action, character development, and suspense that readers won't mind at all that Gratz used a bit of a different format. I think my students will love the friendship between Frank and Stanley, and they will learn a lot about what happened at Pearl Harbor.

My son and I are huge fans of Alan Gratz and usually buddy read them. This one met our expectations and was such a good read. Gratz rocks middle grade historical fiction and i truly love that my son and I can both read, enjoy, and discuss together. Thank you Net Galley and Scholastic for the advance copy.

There is a reason Alan Gratz is one of the most popular authors amongst my students. In Heroes: A Novel of Pearl Harbor, Gratz puts you in the heart of Battleship Row on December 7, 1941. Through the friendship and actions of two best friends, Frank & Stanley, Heroes addresses issues that are just as relevant and timely today--prejudice, courage, selflessness, fear, and friendship. How do you define a hero? TY NetGalley for the ARC.

Alan Gratz has one again taken a World War II event and written a story to put middle grade readers write into the action.

This book focuses on Frank and his Japanese American friend, Stanley. Both of their dads are pilots for the Navy during World War II, and their families are stationed at Pearl Harbor. The book starts the day before the Pearl Harbor attack and walks us through the events through Frank's eyes all the way until a few weeks after the attack.

While the start of the book was a little slow and confusing as Gratz made illusion to an "Incident" that Frank had endured, the book picked up and explained itself well as the action got started. Gratz did a fantastic job showing the terror of being in the middle of an attack while also weaving in the instantenous shift that Japanese Americans had to endure during and after the attacks from white Americans. He also weaves in the history and inclusion of Asian American representation in comic books which was a perspective I did not know a lot about.

Overall, this will be a great addition to my Alan Gratz connection in my classroom library. My students will definitely be fighting over this one as soon as it is added to the shelf.

One Sentence Summary: A fictionalized account of the Pearl Harbor attack through the lens of two young American boys, one white and one with Japanese ancestry.

Reminds Me Of: Previous Alan Gratz Historical Fiction, I Survived Series

Three Reasons You Should Read This:
1. While there are a TON of books about WWII, this was an interesting look at the very beginning of the war for America.
2. Gratz does middle grade historical fiction so well.
3. A lot of the themes like responsibility and racism represented here are still very relevant today.

One Thing You Should Know Before You Pick This Up:
This describes what the boys see during the attack - so lots of death and horrible injuries.

Content Warnings:
Death of a Loved One, Phobias, All the Trauma, War/Military Attack, Bodily Injuries, Death, Racism, Bullying, Blood, Animal Attack

Soundtrack:
My Hero - Foo Fighters
The Funeral - Band of Horses
Pompeii - Bastille