Books In the Middle Podcast
Looking for booktalks for middle school students? Look no farther than this podcast. Browse through the many titles in all different genres for just the right title to get your students inspired, excited and racing to the library for a copy of the book. Looking for written reviews for more titles? Check out the blog Booksinthemiddle.Wordpress.com to expand your own library and give students more options. New episodes typically release every Monday unless it is a holiday, however during the summer months, they will release every other week or so. Enjoy!
Books In the Middle Podcast
Grenade by Alan Gratz (Historical Fiction)
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Grenade by Alan Gratz
Okinawa is a relatively small island off the southern tip of Japan, but at the end of World War II it was the place of the last and bloodiest battle of the whole Pacific Ocean war.
Hideki is a native Okinawan and he and his family have been separated due to the war. Hideki has stayed behind with a bunch of other boys around his age of 14 to become part of the Blood and Iron Student Corps to fight for the Japanese Imperial Army. However, Hideki realizes very quickly that the JIA has no real intention of trying to help any of the Okinawan and in many cases will use them in horrible ways.
Another boy, not much older than Hideki is heading to war too, only he is an American named Ray, in the marines. Both Ray and Hideki struggle to find footing in this new war torn world they both exist in. The question is what toll will this take on both of them, and will they make it out alive?
Recommended for grades 7 and up.
