Grenade - by Alan Gratz (Hardcover)

About the Book

The "New York Times"-bestselling author of "Refugee" returns with this searing and heart-pounding look at kids making their way through war--a high-octane story set on the island of Okinawa, near Japan in 1945.

Book Synopsis

Here it is! The hugely anticipated follow-up to Gratz's NYT bestselling, critically acclaimed phenomenon REFUGEE. This is another searing and heart-pounding look at kids making their way through war.

A New York Times bestseller!It's 1945, and the world is in the grip of war.Hideki lives on the island of Okinawa, near Japan. When WWII crashes onto his shores, Hideki is drafted into the Blood and Iron Student Corps to fight for the Japanese army. He is handed a grenade and a set of instructions: Don't come back until you've killed an American soldier.Ray, a young American Marine, has just landed on Okinawa. He doesn't know what to expect -- or if he'll make it out alive. He just knows that the enemy is everywhere.Hideki and Ray each fight their way across the island, surviving heart-pounding ambushes and dangerous traps. But when the two of them collide in the middle of the battle, the choices they make in that instant will change everything.From the acclaimed author of Refugee comes this high-octane story of how fear can tear us apart, and how hope can tie us back together.

Review Quotes

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 character 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 JournalPraise for Refugee: An Amazon Best Book of the YearA Publishers Weekly Best Book of the YearA Kirkus Best Book of the YearA 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 TargetPraise 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." -- BooklistPraise 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 AdvocatesPraise for Prisoner B-3087: A Junior Library Guild SelectionGolden Sower Award, 2014-2015 Winner NebraskaIsinglass Teen Read Award, 2014-2015 Winner New HampshirePennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award, 2014-2015 WinnerJunior Book Award, 2015-2016 Winner South CarolinaGrand Canyon Reader Award, 2015-2016 Winner ArizonaTruman Readers Award, 2015-2016 Winner MissouriReaders 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

About the Author

ALAN GRATZ is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of several highly acclaimed books for young readers, including Heroes: A Novel of Pearl Harbor, Two Degrees, Ground Zero, Allies, Grenade, Refugee, Projekt 1065, Prisoner B-3087, Code of Honor, and Captain America: The Ghost Army, an original graphic novel. Alan lives with his family in the Pacific Northwest. Look for him online at alangratz.com.