Ground Zero by Alan Gratz

 

Brandon is a boy who is in the north tower of the World Trade Center on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. His father works on the top floor, but Brandon happens to be in an elevator on a lower floor when the building is hit by a passenger jet. At first Brandon attempts to go up a stairwell to find his dad, but his way is blocked. He doesn't know how deadly his situation is, but he's going to have to get out quickly before the building collapses. 

Reshmina is a girl in Afghanistan. On Sept. 11, 2019 she encounters an injured American soldier named Taz. Helping him could endanger the lives of her family. She hates the Taliban and the American soldiers, but she is in a difficult position. Devastation rains down on her village and she struggles to discover the source of her people's problems.

These two stories alternate throughout the book. Both viewpoints are probably unknown to most middle grade readers, and embedded within the text are many historical details and facts about the 9/11 attacks. Kids love Alan Gratz books, and this will make them interested in 9/11 and the long-term effects on the world. I will recommend this to middle schoolers. 

Note: Brandon's story is the stronger of the two, although I was uncomfortable with his unexplored Latinx background. It certainly would be better to have an own voices author write a Latinx character.  Reshmina's story doesn't have the nuance it probably should have, as it is hard for an American to take on the view of an Afghani woman.