Fist bump to Alan Gratz for filling a hole in my historical fiction collection. I've been waiting for a good Pearl Harbor book for a long time, and when I saw Alan Gratz was the one delivering I was beyond thrilled.

The story begins with two best friends navigating their motorboat back to Ford Island military base where their families are stationed. Both fathers are military pilots. Stanley is Japanese American. Frank is white. Both boys love comics and superheros, an interest they come back to again and again throughout the story. Part of Frank's fascination with superheros relates to his fear of just about everything, something he's going to face repeatedly as he becomes caught up in the chaos of the Japanese bombing on the morning of January 7, 1941. It's the same morning Frank and Stanley happen to be getting a personal tour of the battleship USS Utah.

When the planes arrive, most people assume it's a military drill. Most men have just awakened and the artillery guns are covered. No one is prepared. The Utah is one of the first ships hit. Frank and Stanley must abandon ship and swim back to Ford island. It's one intense scene after another as they find their fathers at the airfield, check on their homes, take refuge in a bunker and risk their lives crossing the harbor, still under attack, to get a wounded sailor to the hospital on the main island. Though an American citizen, just like Frank, Stanley must face a new reality of racism because of his Japanese ancestry.

I will never tire of Alan Gratz. Will never stop anticipating his next story. I hope he never deviates from historical fiction, because kids want to know this stuff. He's helping to create a generation of kids who crave an understanding of the past. And it's not just boys. I have lots of girls reading his books. They, and I, are so grateful.

Alan Gratz does it again! Fast paced, action packed, characters with rich, developing stories... another hit! My readers will love this newest Historical Fiction read. Loved Stanley's character and feel like this would give students more of an understanding of what others might be feeling when a person associated with us, by race or beliefs, makes choices that then affect others opinions of us. A great "sliding glass door" book to develop empathetic young readers as well as provide a window into a period of history.

A nice story that told about a boy who had a Japanese American friend during the time of Pearl Harbor. It tells about the two boys dream of making a superhero.
My son, who read the story, also liked how they watched out for each other during the battle.
He feels that this book would appeal to other boys because of the fact that there are some gruesome scenes and also the male friendship propelling the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to preview this book.

Historical fiction is not my favorite genre but Alan Gratz makes me like it. I make sure to read all his books. He makes the characters come to life and presents historical events in an informative and entertaining way. I enjoyed learning more about Pearl Harbor.