Impossible to put down. Action fans will have this flying off the shelves.

—Booklist - STARRED REVIEW

Intense and fast-paced, this is a compelling, dark, yet ultimately heartening wartime story.

—Kirkus

Alan Gratz couldn’t write a slow-paced book even if he were paid by the word.

—Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, New York Times Book Review

War is portrayed honestly here…the finality of death and the lasting emotional consequences are starkly rendered.

—Publishers Weekly

A chilling, realistic depiction of war. An excellent World War II novel.

—School Library Journal

A sad and compelling story that sheds some light on a battle that is rarely mentioned in books written for juvenile readers. Highly recommended.

—School Library Connection

While the plot is suspenseful and the characters sympathetic, this novel by Gratz is especially notable for its unique Okinawan lens.

—Horn Book