Grenade

Alan Gratz's "Grenade" plunges readers into the intense Battle of Okinawa in 1945, told through the alternating perspectives of Hideki, a 14-year-old Okinawan boy forced into the 'Blood and Iron Student Corps,' and Ray, a young American Marine experiencing his first battle. Hideki, small for his age and armed with two grenades, is tasked with killing American soldiers but primarily seeks to find his family amidst the chaos. Ray, grappling with the horrors of war, finds his path intersecting with Hideki's. This high-octane historical fiction explores themes of survival, courage, the devastating impact of war on children, and the difficult moral choices made under extreme pressure. It is suitable for middle-grade readers aged 9-14, offering a gripping, yet sensitive, look at a lesser-known aspect of WWII.

On April 1, 1945 with the battle of Okinawa beginning, fourteen-year-old native Okinawan Hideki, drafted into the Blood and Iron Student Corps, is handed two grenades and told to go kill American soldiers; small for his age Hideki does not really want to kill anyone, he just wants to find his family, and his struggle across the island will finally bring him face-to-face with Ray, a marine in his very first battle--and the choice he makes then will change his life forever.