Early on the morning of December 7, 1941, the Empire of Japan launched a massive surprise attack on the US naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Two brief and terrible hours later, much of the American fleet lay sunk or burning; 2,388 Americans were dead; and the United States and Japan were at war. Dozens of children witnessed this pivotal moment in history. And hundreds of young servicemen—both American and Japanese—came of age on this unforgettable day. Now, for the first time, their gripping eyewitness accounts are woven together in a powerful retelling of the events at Pearl Harbor. Award-winning author Shelley Tanaka re-creates every harrowing and heroic moment through the memories of young people who were actually there.

Early on the morning of December 7, 1941, the Empire of Japan launched a massive surprise attack on the US naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Two brief and terrible hours later, much of the American fleet lay sunk or burning; 2,388 Americans were dead; and the United States and Japan were at war. Dozens of children witnessed this pivotal moment in history. And hundreds of young servicemen—both American and Japanese—came of age on this unforgettable day. Now, for the first time, their gripping eyewitness accounts are woven together in a powerful retelling of the events at Pearl Harbor. Award-winning author Shelley Tanaka re-creates every harrowing and heroic moment through the memories of young people who were actually there.