Summary: Heroes by Alan Gratz
Friends and army brats Frank and Stanley live in Pearl Harbor, where they deal with the usual challenges of bullying and creating comic books. Until December 7th, 1941, when everything changes during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Will the boys survive the attack? How will the war change them and their friendship? Master of middle grade historical fiction, Alan Gratz, explores these in his latest novel.
The Good
Like everything Gratz writes, this is a very dynamic book with constant action right from the minute the story opens! From Frank and Stanley’s comic book superheroes to the war they experience together and try to survive, there is no dull moment throughout the story. I enjoyed seeing Frank and Stanley deepen their friendship as the story progressed. Healthy male friendships are not depicted enough in middle grade literature, and this one is refreshing to see.
As Heroes is set during the war, young readers will learn a bit about WWII and how the attack of Pearl Harbor fits into the narrative. There are also interesting historical details about US servicemen, the worries of wartime, and how the war affected local people. Finally, this book subtly highlights the racial prejudice common in the time period, both against Black servicemen and Japanese-American people, in an approachable way for middle schoolers.
Bonus points for a short comic book at the end of this book presenting Frank and Stanley’s collaboration, which is sure to delight fans of comic books and graphic novels.
Heroes
Heroes by Alan Gratz is an action-packed historical account about friendship and what it means to be a hero. Set during the attack of Pearl Harbor, this book brings the event to life in a pulse-pounding yet tween-appropriate way, while highlighting common social issues like racial prejudice. The protagonists’ love for art and writing will also be immensely relatable for young readers.
Star Rating
Content Notes
Here are some specifics to know about the content.
Content Warnings
- Death: One minor character (along with other soldiers) dies during the attack although not graphically depicted
- Alcohol/substance abuse: None
- Sexual content: Mentions of a girl crushing on a character, nothing further.
- Religious content: None
- Language: None
Diversity
- Ethnic: Frank is caucasian, Stanley is Japanese-American
- Sexual orientation: None
Recommended for ages: 10+
Good for kids who like:
- Books about overcoming challenges
- Alan Gratz books
- War and action stories
- Books about friendships
- Historical fiction
Want more friendship books to recommend to your students? Check out my Friendship Student Printables
Student Printable: Friendship Books (Grades 6-8 Only)
Student printables are designed for your students to use straight from the printer. This printable includes 20 middle grade and (middle school appropriate) young adult books centering on the theme of friendship.
Sample Discussion Questions for Heroes
- PRE-READING: What is democracy? What do you think it means to be the “arsenal of democracy”?
- The chapter on p. 6 is called “Near Miss.” What do you notice about the way the author titles each chapter?
- On p. 99, Stanley’s dad tells him that after the bombing by the Japanese army, “things are going to be different… for [Stanley’s] mom and for [him].” What did he mean?
- On p. 198, we learn more about the way Japanese-Americans like Stanley were treated after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Do you think being of Japanese descent made Stanley less American?
- REFLECTION: Before the war, Frank’s dad says, “Pearl is a fortress. They’d never attack here.” Why do you think the author would have included this line? What literary device is this?
If you’d like to use this book in the classroom or for a book club discussion, you need our full discussion guide for Heroes by Alan Gratz. You can get it in our shop for $12! This guide is practically a novel unit with over 50 vocabulary words, questions for nearly every chapter, lots of extension activities, and curriculum connections to use in the classroom.
Publisher Details
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