Alan Gratz Books in Order
Discover the works of Alan Gratz, featuring fast-paced historical fiction like Refugee and Ground Zero, plus reading order and series backgrounds.
Last updated: December 15, 2025
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Publication Order
23 books
War Games
by Alan Gratz
2025
In 1936 Berlin, young American gymnast Evie Harris arrives for the Olympics expecting glory. Instead, she uncovers a dark conspiracy within Nazi Germany and must choose between her athletic dreams and doing what is right.
Heroes of Pearl Harbor
by Alan Gratz
2024
Frank and Stanley are best friends living on the naval base at Pearl Harbor in 1941. When the Japanese attack begins, the boys are thrust into chaos and must navigate explosions, sinking ships, and prejudice to help their neighbors survive.
Captain America: The Ghost Army
by Alan Gratz
2023
In this graphic novel set during WWII, Captain America and Bucky Barnes face a new threat in Transylvania. They must battle the Ghost Army, a weaponized force of the undead that could turn the tide of the war for the Nazis.
Two Degrees
by Alan Gratz
2022
Three kids face three climate disasters: a wildfire in California, a polar bear attack in Canada, and a hurricane in Florida. As they fight for survival, their stories reveal the urgent global threat of a changing climate.
Ground Zero
by Alan Gratz
2021
Two stories twenty years apart connect in this thriller. In 2001, Brandon is trapped in the World Trade Center on 9/11. In 2019, Reshmina, an Afghan girl, encounters a wounded American soldier. Both must survive a day that changes history.
Resist
by Alan Gratz
2019
A companion novella to *Allies*, this story focuses on Samira, a young French-Algerian girl working with the Resistance. As D-Day unfolds, she must rely on her wits and bravery to sabotage the Nazis and help the incoming liberation forces.
Allies
by Alan Gratz
2019
On D-Day, multiple perspectives converge on the beaches of Normandy. From American paratroopers and Canadian soldiers to a French Resistance girl and an American medic, these young allies must work together to turn the tide of World War II.
Grenade
by Alan Gratz
2018
Set during the Battle of Okinawa, this novel follows two young men: Hideki, a local boy drafted into the Japanese army, and Ray, a young U.S. Marine. Their paths collide in the chaos of war, forcing them to make impossible choices.
Refugee
by Alan Gratz
2017
Three children in three different time periods—Josef in 1930s Germany, Isabel in 1994 Cuba, and Mahmoud in 2015 Syria—go on harrowing journeys in search of safety. Their stories weave together to form a powerful narrative about hope and survival.
Ban This Book
by Alan Gratz
2017
When a school board bans her favorite book, mild-mannered fourth grader Amy Anne Ollinger decides to fight back. She starts a secret locker library to lend out the banned titles, sparking a student movement for the freedom to read.
The Monster War
by Alan Gratz
2016
In the trilogy conclusion, the League of Seven faces an all-out war as the Mangleborn monsters launch a massive invasion. Archie and his team must unite heroes from across America for a final stand to save humanity.
Projekt 1065
by Alan Gratz
2016
Michael O’Shaunessey is the son of the Irish ambassador to Nazi Germany, but he is also a spy. He joins the Hitler Youth to gather intelligence on a secret jet project, playing a deadly game where one slip-up could mean death.
The Dragon Lantern
by Alan Gratz
2015
The League of Seven returns as Archie and his friends travel to New Orleans. They must find a powerful artifact called the Dragon Lantern to stop a new threat, facing clockwork zombies and swamp monsters along the way.
Code of Honor
by Alan Gratz
2015
When his big brother is accused of being a terrorist, Kamran Smith, a patriotic Iranian-American teen, refuses to believe it. He must race against time to decode his brother's secret messages and clear his name before a major attack occurs.
The League of Seven
by Alan Gratz
2014
In an alternate 1875 where electricity is banned, young Archie Dent joins the League of Seven to fight giant monsters. When his parents are captured, Archie and his new friends must master their powers to save the world.
Hero of the Five Points
by Alan Gratz
2014
A prequel novella to *The League of Seven*. In 1870s New York City, a young street fighter named Archie Dent discovers his unique abilities and encounters the secret society that battles the Mangleborn monsters.
Prisoner B-3087
by Alan Gratz
2013
Based on the true story of Jack Gruener, this novel follows a Jewish boy trying to survive the Holocaust. From the Krakow ghetto to ten different concentration camps, Yanek faces starvation and brutality, determined to survive at any cost.
The Assassination Game
by Alan Gratz
2012
At Starfleet Academy, cadets Kirk and McCoy participate in a campus-wide elimination game called "The Assassination Game." But when a terrorist plot targets the Academy, the game turns deadly real, and the future officers must uncover the conspiracy.
Fantasy Baseball
by Alan Gratz
2011
Alex is a standout Little League player, but he finds himself swept away to a dream world where baseball is a matter of life and death. He must lead a team of fictional characters in a high-stakes tournament to find his way home.
The Brooklyn Nine
by Alan Gratz
2009
This multi-generational saga follows one American family through nine "innings" of history, from 1845 to the present. Each story links a new generation to the game of baseball, exploring how the sport connects fathers, sons, and a changing nation.
Something Wicked
by Alan Gratz
2008
Horatio Wilkes returns in a modernization of *Macbeth*, attending a Scottish Highland festival in the Tennessee mountains. When the festival’s founder is murdered, Horatio is plunged into a web of prophecy and ambition where fair is foul and foul is fair.
Something Rotten
by Alan Gratz
2007
In this modern noir retelling of *Hamlet*, Horatio Wilkes visits his friend Hamilton Prince in Tennessee, only to find Hamilton’s father dead and his uncle marrying his mother. Horatio must navigate a corrupt paper mill empire to find the killer.
Samurai Shortstop
by Alan Gratz
2006
In 1890 Tokyo, Toyo must balance his passion for baseball with his father’s strict adherence to the samurai code of Bushido. When his father threatens to commit ritual suicide, Toyo tries to prove that the American game can embody the ancient warrior spirit.
Where should I start?
If you want his most famous historical survival stories:
Refugee → Prisoner B-3087 → Ground Zero
If you prefer action-packed war stories:
Grenade → Allies → Projekt 1065
If you want a lighter contemporary read:
Ban This Book
Author bio
Alan Gratz has become a household name for young readers who love high-stakes action and history, but his journey to the bestseller lists wasn't exactly a straight line. Born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee, Alan grew up surrounded by the stories of the South. He stayed close to home for his education, attending the University of Tennessee. There, he earned a degree in creative writing and later followed it up with a master’s in English education.
Those degrees taught him how to write and how to teach, but his work history taught him how to keep people entertained. Before he was a full-time novelist, Alan worked a fascinating mix of jobs. He wasn't just sitting in a quiet room typing; he was out in the real world.
For instance, he spent time writing radio commercials—more than 6,000 of them. When you have to tell a whole story or sell a product in just thirty seconds, you learn how to make every single word count. He also spent time as a teacher, where he did things like teaching middle school students how to build catapults. If you can keep a group of middle schoolers engaged while building medieval siege weapons, you definitely know how to capture an audience.
When Alan finally turned to writing books, he didn't start with the historical epics he is famous for today. His early career focused more on sports and mystery novels. While those books were fun, he found his true calling—and his widest audience—when he shifted his focus to historical fiction.
He has a special talent for weaving together multiple perspectives and timelines. He takes big, complicated events and breaks them down through the eyes of young people. This approach makes history feel personal and immediate rather than just a list of dates to memorize.
His breakout hit, Refugee, is a perfect example of this style. It tackles the massive, complex topic of the global migration crisis. Instead of a dry history lesson, the book follows three different children in three different eras—World War II, 1990s Cuba, and modern-day Syria. By connecting these timelines, he shows that the search for safety is a universal human story.
Another defining work in his career is Prisoner B-3087. This book recounts the harrowing true story of a boy who survived ten different concentration camps. It is a tough subject, but Alan handles it with a focus on survival and resilience.
In fact, Alan is known for never talking down to his readers. His books explore some of the most difficult topics in history, including the Holocaust, D-Day, and the attacks of 9/11. He writes with an intensity that respects young readers’ intelligence. He knows kids can handle hard truths if they are presented with honesty and empathy.
That tradition continues in his more recent books. Titles like Ground Zero bring modern history into focus, while Two Degrees takes on the urgent threat of climate change. These stories move with breathless pacing, keeping readers turning pages late into the night.
Today, Alan isn't just writing; he’s connecting. He has traveled all over the world to speak at festivals and visit schools, sharing his love of reading with the next generation. After living for years in Western North Carolina, he eventually moved across the country.
Alan now lives in the Pacific Northwest with his family. When he isn't researching his next blockbuster novel, you can usually find him enjoying his new surroundings, reading a good book, or watching a baseball game.
Edited by
Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.
Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.






































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