The Six-Day Hero Paperback – January 1, 2017

Unsure how my 11-year-old daughter would take to a book outside her comfort zone, I barely had a chance to read the first chapter before she claimed it for herself. But it's not hard to understand why she raced through The Six-Day Hero, and then encouraged me to finish it as soon as possible. This author meets the unenviable challenge--teaching tweens the complexities of a religious war--by making it accessible through her instantly likable and totally relatable main character. Motti is 12, a middle brother, and straddling childhood during a pivotal time for his country.The politics, fear and confusing emotions of this war (a war whose result is still hotly debated) are handled gently but thoroughly. I smiled and cried, and cried a bit more. Tammar Stein hit the Pixar-esque sweet spot of targeting one audience but capturing a broader one.

Read with 10-year-old grandson. We both enjoyed it.

This award-winning author who has written compelling YA novels focusing on modern issues and spiritual forces has focused her descriptive writing and character development in a historical fiction rendition of an Israeli family living through the Six-Day War. She is able to convincingly capture the mood and emotions of a pre-teen as well as that of an entire country. Stein knows how to capture emotional challenges and combine this with the action of “you were there” historical accounts. She has created a memorable YA historical novel combining the integration of well-researched facts with the personal development of a family coping with the tensions and effects on their lives. This excellent synthesis expands the genre of well-developed YA historical fiction. As a reader familiar with the military and political events of the Six-Day War, I gained a much greater appreciation for what this experience was like for those families who lived through this time. This novel will be enjoyed and appreciated by young and old alike.

I bought this for my third grader who loves historical fiction, but ended up reading it myself first. I loved it! And I learned so much about the Six-Day War (which I really knew nothing about before). Motti is a thoroughly likable character and he has stayed with me since I finished the book. My third grader ended up loving it as well, especially learning what Motti's life was like in Jerusalem.

I’ve never been to Israel and I didn't know too much about Israeli history. Tammar Stein’s The Six-Day Hero made the country, the people, and this pivotal moment in history real to me. I have a greater understanding of what led to the Six Day War and the struggles of the people living in this region. The Six-Day Hero opened my eyes and my heart. Young readers should immediately take to the main character of Motti and his family. The descriptions are vivid and the tensions of the time period are palpable. This is a page turner.

This book is great for anybody. I love this book because it taught me history I've never heard or known before. This book is a must read for anybody who's interested in history, or any body who wants to read a great book. I read this in two days because of the action and I didn't want to put the book down.

My son could not put it down! He credits the excellent writing and character development, the story spoke to him and he learned about a critical moment in Israel's history in the process. A must buy for 4th grade-middle school readers and beyond.

My 10 year old boy who loves historical fiction like the "I Survived" series LOVES this book. He dove in after we received it on release day and has plowed through it, telling me his favorite parts as he goes.

Amazing book! Highly recommended