My rating:

add to my books

We Can Be Heroes

by Catherine Bruton

3.75 · rating details · 28 ratings · 12 reviews

Moving. Funny. Explosive. And most of all, unexpected...As powerful as Frank Cottrell Boyce's Millions. My dad was killed in the 9/11 attacks in New York. But the stuff in this book isn't about that. It's about the summer my mum went away. The summer that me and Jed and Priti tried to catch a suicide bomber and prevent an honour killing. There's stuff about how we built a ...more

Paperback, 400 pages

Published November 1st 2011 by Egmont Books (UK) (first published August 19th 2011)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

This book is currently not featured on any Listopia lists. Add this book to your favorite list »

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 75)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Aug 28, 2011

Kai (Amaterasu Reads) rated it

Shelves: 2011-tbr-pile, arc, for-review, teens

Review posted at Amaterasu Reads

I still remember that night when I woke up and my mom was staring at the TV in shock. That was September 11, the day of the 9/11 bombing in the U.S. I think that will be forever etched in my mind, so a book written inspired by the 9/11 events will never go unnoticed by me.

A lot of families lost their loved ones that day of the terrorist attack, like 12 year old Ben. True to the summary, this book isn't just about that, but of Ben and his fr...moreReview posted at Amaterasu Reads

I still remember that night when I woke up and my mom was staring at the TV in shock. That was September 11, the day of the 9/11 bombing in the U.S. I think that will be forever etched in my mind, so a book written inspired by the 9/11 events will never go unnoticed by me.

A lot of families lost their loved ones that day of the terrorist attack, like 12 year old Ben. True to the summary, this book isn't just about that, but of Ben and his friends Preeti and Jed and what happened to them that summer.

Ben is a kid you would just like to hug, a kid you couldn't help but love. He was afraid to grieve for his parents because people will think he's being overly dramatic. And for a 12 year old to think of that just breaks my heart. And the hardships he has faced dealing with his mom's eating habits, that's a lot for a 12 year old who has also lost a father to take. Also, Preeti is so funny! She sounds very intelligent for an 11 year old, and I love how she always babbles, saying she's just trying to help cousins get rid of their emotional baggages. How can an 11 year old say that?

I loved this book for a number of reason. I was first skeptical when I first read that this is appeals to younger audiences, but I am glad I gave this a chance. Even with the MG feel of the book, readers will be able to relate to it in some ways. I feel like I'm seeing a younger version of myself through Ben, Jed and Preeti. How I had fun when I was young, with a very active imagination! Also, I love how hilarious this is. I've had quite a good laugh while I was reading this book. As if that isn't enough, there's also a very cute carton illustration in the end, which made the book more enjoyable than it already is.

We Can Be Heroes is not just all about fun. It also tackles issues like racism, through the eyes of children like Ben, Jed and Preeti. It's also about family, dealing with loss and grief, done in a very entertaining way. It was evident that Catherine Bruton knew what she was writing about with the way she presented sensitive issues and topics in this book. It tackled stereotypes, races, terrorism in a very good way.

We Can Be Heroes made me feel like a kid again, made me look back at those times and reflect on how good those times were. It also made me appreciate my family in a lot of ways, and seeing the friendship formed between all three children was so heart warming, that even when times were difficult they can still have fun. Set aside a few hours of your time and give this book a chance, will you?(less)

like 1 like

· see review

Aug 16, 2011

Sarah Hammerton rated it

I read We Can Be Heroes in one day, it's definitely 'unputdownable'.

It follows the story of Ben, whose dad died in the September 11th attacks. He is staying with is grandparents for the Summer because his Mum is unwell, having suffered some kind of breakdown. His cousin Jed is also staying, as his Dad has stopped him seeing his own Mum, following the breakdown of their marriage. They meet their new neighbour, Preeti, and become involved in a number of situations involving honour k...more

like 1 like

· see review

Jul 23, 2011

Rhys rated it

Clarification: 4.5 stars

Review originally posted on ThirstforFiction.com

Ever since 12 year old Ben’s dad died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, his mum has been acting strange. They’ve coped with it- her OCD eating habits, the way she hides in herself- but now it’s just too much. She’s being looked after by doctors now, and Ben is with his grandparents in the Midlands, living a summer of tree houses, bomb threats, and crazy parents…

For anyone afraid that We Can Be Hero...more

· see review

Jul 23, 2011

Kirsty (overflowing library) rated it

Shelves: review-books, british-author

I want to preface this review by saying please don't take the length of this review to be any reflection about how I felt about the book. While I don't have reams and reams to say the book itself was one that I really enjoyed and would happily recommend to others.

You will enjoy this book if you read and loved My sister lives on the mantlepiece as I think the message of the story is very similiar. They both feature children who have lost a family member due to a terrorist attack (even t...more

· see review

Aug 16, 2011

Jo rated it

Shelves: 2011, hometown-glories-uk, just-been-cutting-onions, oh-how-we-laugh, ya, you-got-a-friend-in-me

3 3/4 stars.

"Priti looks at me and raises her eyebrows. “If you don’t understand the vast cultural difference between the Disney anti-feminist-merchandising machine crap and an Anne Hathaway classic, you’re not going to make it far in the world of animation,” she says."

Initial Final Page Thoughts.
In your FACE. But yay Granny.

High Points.
Ben… aww. Cutie. Priti. Imagination. Childhood innocence. Tree houses. Binoculars. Cartoons (sorry.. M...more

like 9 likes

· see review

Jul 29, 2011

SJH (A Dream of Books) rated it

Shelves: for-review, young-adult

‘We Can Be Heroes’ is Catherine Bruton’s debut novel. From the first few pages we learn that the main character Ben, lost his Dad in the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in America. This sets the tone for a book which doesn’t hold back from exploring and confronting difficult subjects.

Ben is staying with his grandparents for the summer. The reason for his mother’s absence is hinted at but never explicitly explained. He soon makes friends with Priti, a young Muslim girl ...more‘We Can Be Heroes’ is Catherine Bruton’s debut novel. From the first few pages we learn that the main character Ben, lost his Dad in the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in America. This sets the tone for a book which doesn’t hold back from exploring and confronting difficult subjects.

Ben is staying with his grandparents for the summer. The reason for his mother’s absence is hinted at but never explicitly explained. He soon makes friends with Priti, a young Muslim girl in the neighbourhood and they are joined by his cousin Jed who has also come to stay. Over the course of the summer, they learn to tackle family issues, grief and bereavement, whilst also learning about the people around them.

One of the main themes of the book is racial intolerance and prejudice. Some of the characters in the story are very quick to judge others by the way they dress, the colour of their skin or their religion. This causes disharmony between them and illustrates the irrational way in which people make snap judgements or assessments about each other or discriminate wrongly on the basis of race.

The topic of 9/11 is also predominant throughout. This is a tough issue to write about but I felt that Catherine Bruton tackled it bravely and in such a way that it was handled sensitively and with great insight. It wasn’t written about in a gratuitous way but explored the impact and aftermath of this event on the relatives of the people that died that day.

One of my favourite things about the book was the way in which Ben is forever drawing pictures and comics and envisions speech bubbles and weird and wonderful outfits for the people in the story. There is a short manga comic at the back of the book which is the culmination of Ben’s work and which is awesome!

Although not normally the sort of book I would pick up and read, I found 'We Can Be Heroes' an interesting, engaging and thought provoking read which delivers a powerful message about today's society.

(less)

like 1 like

· see review

Sep 12, 2011

Lyrical rated it

I read this in the build up to the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and it did everything to remind me how I should feel about those terrible events, how I need to fight intolerance with tolerance, hatred with friendship and prejudice with open mindedness. I know I’m sounding a bit preachy now but this is honestly how I felt after reading this book, it’s a real affirmation.

Some authors are just so adept at getting inside the head of a kid and talking through their mouths and Catherine Bruton...moreI read this in the build up to the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and it did everything to remind me how I should feel about those terrible events, how I need to fight intolerance with tolerance, hatred with friendship and prejudice with open mindedness. I know I’m sounding a bit preachy now but this is honestly how I felt after reading this book, it’s a real affirmation.

Some authors are just so adept at getting inside the head of a kid and talking through their mouths and Catherine Bruton has definitely earned that accolade, it’s almost as if she taped 11-13 year olds and transcribed their dialogue, it is that pitch perfect. Ben makes a really endearing character to walk through this story with and I love the way his imagination mostly takes place in the form of doodles and cartoon strips. I think my favourite character, however, has to be Priti with her verbal diarrhoea and lack of restraint in what she says. She’s a real say-as-you-find character that both Ben and his cousin Jed really need to work through their problems. Boys tend to bottle up their feelings but with Priti around this is just not allowed so she is really an undercover therapist for the other characters.

Perhaps the most effective aspect of the book is the way that on the surface there’s a real sense of pre-teen adventure but simmering below are a lot of pretty hardcore and relevant issues, most notably hostility towards Muslims. I really appreciate the sharp contrast between the explicit racism of the older characters (Ben’s uncle and grandfather) and the unabashed acceptance of the younger characters. Ben never comments on Priti’s background, he gets to know her and her family as he would any other person and accepts them as his friends without any judgement. His uncle and grandfather, however, immediately dig a racist trench to wage a war of prejudice before they have even made the effort to know their neighbours. The mad thing is, Ben is the one that of all of them should be prejudiced but is exactly the opposite. It’s awful to think that this goes on in Britain but you know it does and Catherine Bruton really smacks you round the face with it. Better to confront it in a book for teens than do the British thing and ignore it.

We Can Be Heroes is such an effective and enjoyable book written incredibly well in a style that completely avoids forcing an opinion on the reader. Catherine Bruton simply puts the situation out there for you to react to it in your own way, although she’ll make you squirm with shame along the way. She has so successfully captured the realities of these issues that it’s hard not to worry but makes me grateful that I was brought up to be like Ben. There are so many different reactions to racism in the book – violence, dismissal, encouragement – but I have to say I like Priti’s reaction the best: to outwit it. She definitely has the most mature attitude despite the fact that she’s the youngest character!

Lyrical Reviews
@LyricalReviews
Goodreads Group: No Dark Romance Allowed (less)

· see review

Feb 05, 2012

Maryam rated it

Shelves: 2011, book-tour, received-for-review, ya, reviewed

Also reviewed on the blog: http://gloriousbooks.blogspot.com/2011/1...

This is a book I instantly fell in love with from the first page.

The narrative is so different and I was sucked straight into the story which really surprised me.

We Can Be Heroes deals with a lot of issues that are normally quite hard to read about. Racism, mental health, bereavements, separations and gangs; they are all a big part of the story from the eyes of a 12 year old boy.

R...more

· see review

Dec 08, 2011

Sarah rated it

Shelves: books-i-own-print, for-review-read, read-in-2011

We Can Be Heroes is an impressive debut from Catherine Bruton and I'm looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next. The story tackles difficult subjects such as racism, gang crime, grief, family separations and mental health issues but it does so in a way that is both humorous and informative.

The story is told through the eyes of 12 year old Ben and he is a great narrator with a fun way of looking at the world - I loved the way he was constantly picturing speech bubbles ove...moreWe Can Be Heroes is an impressive debut from Catherine Bruton and I'm looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next. The story tackles difficult subjects such as racism, gang crime, grief, family separations and mental health issues but it does so in a way that is both humorous and informative.

The story is told through the eyes of 12 year old Ben and he is a great narrator with a fun way of looking at the world - I loved the way he was constantly picturing speech bubbles over people's heads. Ben's father was killed in the 9/11 terror attacks and Ben can barely remember him, his mother has struggled to cope ever since and Ben is sent to live with his grandparents for the summer while his mother is in hospital. Ben's cousin Jed is also staying with his grandparents for the summer while his own parents fight a battle over custody after a messy divorce. Together the two boys befriend their neighbour Priti, a young Muslim girl whose family recently moved to the neighbourhood.

Watching the three friends together will take you back to your own childhood - to the good old days of climbing trees, wheelie shoes (well roller skates in my day!) and making up stories. To happy and carefree summers when you didn't realise how good life was. Although life for Ben, Jed and Priti is far from perfect - they all have their own issues to deal with. You can't help but laugh at their antics though and I read the story surprisingly quickly considering it has nearly 500 pages.

I have to give Catherine Bruton credit for tackling such difficult subjects in a sensitive way and at the same time making it accessible for people of all ages - this story really will have something in it to appeal to everyone from the age of 11 to 111. We Can Be Heroes is a book that will make you think, it gives real insight into racism in the UK today and will hopefully challenge some people's opinions about what is right and wrong. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a book that is fun but thought provoking.(less)

· see review

Jan 24, 2012

Iain rated it

Shelves: own

A slow burner to start with, which seems aimed at younger kids but in the last quarter it changes into something a little more mature.

Countless themes are covered, and covered will from a child's perspective. The characters are well-rounded and complex, not the two-dimensional ones far too often used in literature, both child and adult.

It took a while to get into, and over the first 100 pages or so I really did wonder if I would make it all the way through. The pace accelerat...more

· see review

Aug 22, 2011

Catherine Bruton rated it

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to review my own book. Am I? Hmm! It would feel more modest to give myself only 3 stars but my hubbie is adamant I hve to go for five! I await strict tellings off!

· see review

Jan 14, 2012

Sheralyn rated it

What a rare situation for me. I was so bored with the book, what I managed to plough through, that I was grateful for the language and the reason it gave me to put it down and walk away.

· see review

Feb 20, 2012

earmstronglib rated it

Feb 20, 2012

Librarian Miss Armstrong rated it

Feb 11, 2012

Kerdie marked it as to-read

Jan 28, 2012

Rishu marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Jan 26, 2012

Caroline rated it

Jan 23, 2012

Carol marked it as to-read

Jan 22, 2012

Danielle marked it as to-read

Jan 22, 2012

Charlotte Phillips marked it as to-read

Jan 22, 2012

Kirstin rated it

Jan 14, 2012

Rebecca marked it as to-read

Jan 14, 2012

Nina at Death Books and Tea marked it as to-read

Jan 12, 2012

Yeyen E. added it

Jan 08, 2012

Tina rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

Jan 07, 2012

Megan marked it as to-read

Shelves: christmas-haul, in-my-mailbox

Jan 05, 2012

Morgane Salmon is currently reading it

Dec 31, 2011

Emily marked it as to-read

Shelves: want-so-bad, so-excited, released, young-adult

Dec 31, 2011

Bella (Cheezyfeet Books) marked it as to-read

Dec 29, 2011

Robyn Drummond marked it as to-read

« previous 1 2 3 next »

See top shelves...

Books by Catherine Bruton

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Pin It

Trivia About We Can Be Heroes

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: We Can Be Heroes
avg rating	preview: We Can Be Heroes Goodreads rating: 3.75 (28 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10517177-we-can-be-heroes?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1329443315m/10517177.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10517177-we-can-be-heroes?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]We Can Be Heroes by Catherine Bruton[/url]

We Can Be Heroes

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (4)

Genres

Books by Catherine Bruton

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About We Can Be Heroes

We Can Be Heroes

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topicDiscuss This Book

combine Other Editions (4)

Genres

Books by Catherine Bruton

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About We Can Be Heroes

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (4)