The Rambler
Volume 21/22, Issue 2, Winter 2022 of the woman who ran through the flames to escape, see her arm bubbling, see the elevator disappear, crash to the basement, the remaining passengers' screams echoing up the elevator shaft. one person was sitting on the floor, head in his hands, sobbing. Two people were grasping the railing as if their lives depended on it. The last person was getting ready to run through the flames to escape. Outside the elevator, Brandon stood with two other men, urging the people who were trapped to get out. I can feel the emotions of the trapped passengers. They are terrified! They have no idea what will happen to them! That’s what makes this book so amazing. I can feel the emotions of all the characters, not just the main characters. Being able to feel the emotions of all the characters adds to the plot development. Alan Gratz’s use of colorful words also adds excitement and suspense to the plot. At the end of each chapter, there is a cliffhanger, which leaves the reader to wonder what will happen next. For example, when Brandon is on the way out of the building, the floor starts to shake. Brandon thought it felt like a subway car beneath them. But it wasn’t a subway car. “The shaking kept getting stronger, and Brandon just had time to look at Richard [his companion] in horror, before something exploded. It was as if the whole mall had collapsed in on them at once, and with a roar like a garbage truck, a blast of dust and smoke lifted Brandon off his feet and
Ground Zero: A Book Review by Sophie Frankel The book Ground Zero contains the incredible story of Brandon Chavez, a boy who was in the North Tower of the World Trade Center on 9/11. This book deserves a Newbery award. What is the Newbery award, you ask? The Newbery award is given annually to an American author that displays the most distinguished writing with six criteria, including setting, characters, plot, style, organization and theme. The three criteria I will talk about are character development, setting, and style. One of the Newbery criteria is character. Being able to feel the character’s emotions is an important part of a book being notable. The main character in Ground Zero is Brandon Chavez, a nine year old boy in Lower Manhattan. He is a relatable and sympathetic character. The author vividly portrays his emotions through his words and his actions. For example, when his friend’s gloves are stolen by the school bully, he punches the bully in the nose. This shows how much he cares about his friends. A second example is when Brandon is finally outside after the attack, he is met with a horrific sight. “In the plaza, there were dead bodies everywhere. In the lobby, the first responders have lined up all of the injured and burned victims. Some had missing limbs, others had open wounds. Paramedics moved among them, doing what they could.” Brandon couldn’t believe it was real. He felt like he was in a nightmare. I could imagine myself in Brandon’s shoes in both of these situations. I could feel his emotions clearly. That’s why I love this book so much. Alan Gratz used extremely descriptive language to help the reader understand exactly what the main character is feeling. This is part of the author’s style. Alan Gratz has a very special style of writing. He uses vivid language and careful word choice. He has the special ability to draw the reader in and make them feel like they are in the same situation as the main character at any given moment. When Brandon saw the people trapped in the elevator, I could see them too. I can still hear the echoes of the screams of pain
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