Battle Heroes (Ten True Tales Series)

by Allan Zullo

Overview

Ten true stories of real-life battle heroes in Afghanistan!

Medic Mark DeCorte jumps from a chopper on a nighttime rescue mission. Can he save the life of a badly wounded soldier -- and escape from a deadly enemy? In a remote Afghan village, Marine Lieutenant Stephen Boada picks up a chilling Taliban message on his radio scanner. Can the outnumbered Marines fight their way out?
These and other American heroes risk their lives serving their country in Afghanistan. You will never forget their courageous true stories.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545818100
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	12/30/2014
Series:	Ten True Tales Series
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Allan Zullo is the author of more than 100 nonfiction books on subjects ranging from sports and the supernatural to history and animals. He has introduced readers to the Ten True Tales series, gripping stories of extraordinary persons who have met the challenges of dangerous, sometimes life-threatening, situations. In addition, he has authored four books about the real-life experiences of young people during the Holocaust. Allan, the father of two grown daughters and grandfather of five, lives with his wife, Kathryn, near Asheville, North Carolina. To learn more about the author, visit his website at www.allanzullo.com.

Editorial Reviews

U.S. air strikes on the Taliban and al Qaeda operatives in Afghanistan began in October 2001, following the September terrorist attack on American soil that killed 3,000 innocent people. Called Operation Enduring Freedom, the search was on for the main perpetrator, al Qaeda’s leader Osama bin Laden. Zullo tells the stories of ten brave American war heroes who fought in Afghanistan during the period 2001 to 2006, all of whom are male. Told in vivid, action-packed language, readers are taken into the battlefield. Dialogue is interspersed throughout to keep the pace lively and real, and readers are not spared learning about the injuries the soldiers endured (some fatal) and the hand-to-hand combat they encountered. Zullo emphasizes the loyalty of the troops in supporting each other, and also the Afghan soldiers and innocent bystanders who were sometimes injured in battles. There is the story of Captain Jason Amerine and his fellow Green Berets, who along with untrained Afghans, made a daring stand against the Taliban when outnumbered ten to one. There is Master Sergeant Sarun Sar, who as a boy had endured living in Cambodia under the Communist Khmer Rouge. He lost his family and later immigrated to the U.S., where he joined the military and became the leader of a twelve-man Special Forces team in Afghanistan. He was known for his agility and bravery in battle. There is the story of Brendan O’Connor, who survived a two-day battle and fought bravely, receiving the Distinguished Service Cross for his service. Readers learn that many Afghans fought alongside the Americans, even though they could not speak English. Other Afghans supported the Taliban, who were known for their oppression and cruelty to the locals, when fundamentalist teachings were disobeyed. There are interesting descriptions of Afghan scenery and other conditions as well. Readers will find the true tales memorable and interesting to read. A timeline would have been helpful in understanding the war itself. A glossary at the end helps with war terminology. Reviewer: Sharon M. Himsl; Ages 10 to 12.

Children's Literature - Sharon M. Himsl