For the month of March I have been reading a book called HEROES. The author of this book is by ALAN GRATZ. This is a historical fiction book about Pearl Harbor. A country that was ambushed attacked. And a friendship proven. December 6,1941 two best friends who were named Frank and Stanley who were with their dads stationed at Pearl Harbor naval base at Hawai. The two best friends enjoyed speaking in the water while writing and drawing their own comic books. While they enjoyed their time together, they did not know there was an incoming World War II raging overseas. So far America avoided the fight. December 7, 1941 war officially begun. Frank and Stanley were on a tour on a battleship when Japanese planes started zooming overhead. Bombs after bombs exploded as the planes dropped them. Explosion roared louder than a tsunami. Noises screeched inside the battleship. Sailors screamed but nothing was able to be heard. Frank and Stanley could not believe what was happening! Japan has attacked America! It was not a joke, it was official! The war has came to them. The disaster and danger was everywhere! Bullets flying everywhere in the beach. Submarines launching torpedo under water. Planes flying and dropping bombs everywhere! This was a madness! Because of this the boys struggles to find safety and shelter. After the war, the Americans lost to the Japanese. Stanley is suddenly seen as a “enemy”. Stanley who is a Japanese American faced discrimination and hate. His friend Frank is caucasian and could not understand the amount of hate and discrimination Stanley had to deal with. They both made it out in the infamous day, but will their friendship and dream continue? Or has everything they know will be forgotten?
Heros is a great book explaining the war during Pearl Harbor. Heros provided great dialogue between Frank and Stanley. As the friendship and bonding gets stronger as they face intense situation together. Heros was not only about pear harbor, but teaches you what a true friendship is! If you ever want to read a book that educational, but can one day help you with friendship bonding, read Heros!
My most favorite character is Stanley. Stanley is my most favorite character is because he is always brave and bold. An example from the book was on page 15. “Then we might as well die trying to do the right thing!” During this situation Frank said he and Stanley would die if they stayed a minute longer in the battle ship due to hundreds of Japanese planes dropping bomb. Stanley said it’s better dying for the right thing than escaping like a coward. This shows how brave Stanley is.
My most favorite quote from the story was on page 128. “Help means help, said Stanley. It doesn’t mean fight for me. It means fight with me.” Frank who is a coward, did not want to be involved with any of this war. Stanley pursued Frank to help him fight with a simple statement. He wasn’t forcing Frank to fight and protect him. But instead, to fight beside him! This is like a loyalty companionship! Instead of bossing someone to protect and fight for you, they fight beside you! This is different, but shows loyalty which each others! This loyalty goes both ways! Not just using one as a shield. They watch and protect each other’s back! One won’t die for another, instead they will die together. There’s a total of fifteen graphic. After the Heros story, it showed eleven pages of comic book stories on what Frank and Stanley wrote before the attack. The next two graphics was a picture of the December 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor map. The last two graphics is the front and back cover of the book. The front book cover is both Frank and Stanley standing in the dock watching as the japanese attacks the Americans. Bombs, shootings exploding graphics. Battle ships sinking and exploding and Japanese airplanes shooting everywhere at the battleship. Lastly the back page book cover graphic is a picture in a beach with an exploded battleship.
