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Waterhouse, Charles H. Private Robert M. McTureous, USMC - Okinawa in the Ryukyu Chain. circa 2000-2010. Acrylic on Canvas.
https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/private-robert-m-mctureous-usmc-okinawa-in-the-ryukyu-chain-colonel-charles-h-waterhouse-usmcr/AQGO7C-hBwAUyQ

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Waterhouse, Charles H. Hospital Apprentice First Class Robert E. Bush, USNR - Okinawa Jima, Ryukyu Islands. circa 2000-2010. Acrylic on Canvas.
https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/hospital-apprentice-first-class-robert-e-bush-usnr-okinawa-jima-ryukyu-islands-colonel-charles-h-waterhouse-usmcr/oAFQpHy7ElB8SQ

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This was an artwork painted by Colonel Charles H. Waterhouse, who served with the 5th Marine Division on Iwo Jima, but was wounded and became a professional artist after the war.

In this painting, the artist, Charles H. Waterhouse depicts Private Robert M. McTureous tossing grenades "into enemy caves to draw attention to himself as Marines are being evacuated. McTureous received the Medal of Honor posthumously, giving his life to save Marines." (Google Arts & Culture).

This painting has a connection to the book by both having grenades in them. Especially the part where the Private is tossing the grenade into a cave. In the book, the author mentioned people hiding in caves numerous times.

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Private Robert M. McTureous, USMC - Okinawa in the Ryukyu Chain - Colonel Charles H. Waterhouse, USMCR - Google Arts & Culture

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Painting depicts Private Robert M. McTureous, USMC in the Battle of Okinawa, 7 June 1945.

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Gratz, Alan. Refugee. Scholastic Press, 2017.

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Gratz, Alan. Grenade. Scholastic Press, 2018.

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Hashimoto, Isao. “Battle of Okinawa Island | Every Day (April 1, 1945 - June 22, 1945).” YouTube, 13 April 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGb3mU40Yug. Accessed 21 May 2023.

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The National WWII Museum. “Battle of Okinawa.” The National WWII Museum, 20 May 2020, https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/topics/battle-of-okinawa. Accessed 21 May 2023.

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Two American soldiers sharing a foxhole with a war orphan on Okinawa, 1945. From the Collection of The National WWII Museum, Gift of Dylan Utley, 2012.019.487. 

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This photo is showing a war orphan who is sharing a foxhole with two American soldiers. It is representing how American soldiers are not monsters when they are not fighting. The picture shows that they are also humans before being soldiers.
The connection between this photo and the book can be when Hideki told the Miyagis to surrender to the American soldiers and when Hideki himself, Masako, and Kimiko surrendered to the American soldiers. It doesn't explain the scene perfectly, but in both scenes, Hideki was telling others that the American soldiers aren't always like monsters shooting guns at others if they show that they are not threatening them.
This photo can also represent how the American medic cured Hideki when he had a wound on his head and gave him pills. The American soldiers took care of him and were never really harmful.

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US Marine planting the American flag at Shuri Castle, Okinawa, June 1945. From the Collection of the National WWII Museum, Gift of Dylan Utley, 2012.019.800. 

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This photo shows an American marine planting the American flag at Shuri Castle. Planting the American flag can represent that America has overwhelmed Okinawa and the Shuri Castle.
Throughout the book, the author continuously mentioned the Shuri Castle, and Hideki used it as a landmark when he was heading south to look for Kimiko. The scene where Hideki and Masako were searching for food and drink and Hideki saw the Shuri Castle on fire (Pg. 198) can represent this photo, though from the American's point of view. Hideki was in despair and was thinking of himself as a fool for believing that the Shuri Castle could survive. The author tried to symbolize the Shuri Castle as the "current status" of Okinawa, and at last, the Shuri Castle was gone, and Okinawa was gone with it.

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There are other books written about the time period. Although most of them are about different battles. The point of view also changes for some of the books to change the experiences of the character. This could also change the theme and plot. Overall the way the book is laid out.

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This video shows a timeline of the Battle of Okinawa. It says the exact dates of the turning points in the war like when the Americans captured Shuri Castle. It connects to the book Grenade because Grenade took place in Okinawa and the video gives a timeline of the war in Okinawa. Also, the video talks about places that were also talked about in the book. For example, the Japanese battleship Yamato was talked about in both the book and the video.

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Battle of Okinawa Island | Every Day (April 1, 1945 - June 22, 1945)

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Alan Gratz often writes young adult books about war, history, and asylum. "Refugee" is a book about three children who struggle to escape the political instability of their homelands. The author rotates the point of view in every chapter as "Grenade". The first character, Josef Landau lives in Nazis Germany, with the fear of being dehumanized in 1939. The second character, Isabel Fernandez lives in Cuba, under the control of Fidel Castro in 1994. The third character, Mahmoud Bishara is attempting on leaving Syria during the Bashar al-Assad in 2015.

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The invasion of Okinawa started on April 1, 1945. The battle lasted for over three months and there was constant fighting. On June 22, 1945, The Americans officially secured Okinawa. The Americans had more than 49,000 casualties and over 12,500 men were killed or went missing. In addition, of the Japanese, about 110,000 were killed. Although the Okinawans weren't fighting, they took a major hit, and 150,000 Okinawan civilians were killed. This victory was a major part of taking down Japan because Okinawa was a vital airfield for the Americans in their final push on Japan.

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Overview

The island of Okinawa is the largest in the chain of islands known as the Ryukyus, which lie to the southwest of Japan. Taking Okinawa would provide Allied forces an airbase from which bombers could strike Japan and an advanced anchorage for Allied fleets. From Okinawa, US forces could increase air strikes against Japan and blockade important logistical routes, denying the home islands of vital commodities. Code named Operation Iceberg, the invasion of Okinawa and other islands in the Ryukyus began on April 1, 1945. Although the joint Army-Marine Corps landings on Okinawa were initially unopposed, the well dug-in Japanese defenders soon put-up fierce resistance.

The battle for Okinawa drug out over nearly three months and included some of the worst kamikaze attacks of the war. By the time Okinawa was secured by American forces on June 22, 1945, the United States had sustained over 49,000 casualties including more than 12,500 men killed or missing. Okinawans caught in the fighting suffered greatly, with an estimate as high as 150,000 civilians killed. Of the Japanese defending the island, an estimated 110,000 died. Some of the most well-known stories from the long fight include the heroics of conscientious objector Private Desmond Doss and the death of Ernie Pyle of Ie Shima. Twenty-four American military personnel we awarded the Medal of Honor for going above and beyond the call of duty. In American hands, the island provided a vital airfield in the final drive on Japan, as the Allies finally brought about Japanese surrender less than three months later.

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Battle of Okinawa | The National WWII Museum | New Orleans

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On April 1, 1945, more than 60,000 soldiers and US Marines of the US Tenth Army stormed ashore at Okinawa, in the final island battle before an anticipated invasion of mainland Japan.

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Hideki is a 4th grader boy who lives in Okinawa. During World War II, Hideki and his friends were pushed into the Iron and Blood Student Corps, then they received two grenades, one to kill as many American soldiers, and one to kill himself. A boy died in front of Hideki soon after they got the grenades but Hideki doesn't know if it was a suicide attempt or an accident. Also, the principal of his school was killed in a fight with the U.S. Army. Hideki picks up the picture of the Emperor which contains the mabui, or spirit.

Then, Hideki tries to hide in a graveyard, however, he finds his severely injured Oto. Oto tells him that Hideki's mother and little brother died in the attack on the ship and tells Hideki that the Japanese are not expecting Okinawa and that the people will survive this war. Hideki rages, so Oto suggests throwing away the Emperor's picture. In addition, Oto wants Hideki to find his sister, Kimiko, because she is the only family member left. Hideki believes his cowardly ancestor, Shigetomo, is cursing him but Oto suggests reevaluating his definition of bravery. Hideki decides to search for Kimiko.

In contrast, Ray is a young American soldier who was engaged in horrifying fights. Ray bumps into Hideki, and both of them are surprised and very afraid. Ray fires his gun, and Hideki threw his grenade and kills Ray. Hideki was shocked that Ray had many pictures of the Japanese.

After that, an American doctor was covering Hideki's wounds and injuries. He escapes from the U.S. base and continues his journey to find Kimiko. Hideki learns that many soldiers were just normal citizens before the war and that the fear of being killed is making them become monsters. Eventually, Hideki finds Kimiko and saves many kids on the way.

Hideki learns that Shigemoto was not a coward and that his spirit was resting in peace now. Kimiko, who has the power to see spirits, realizes that Hideki has lost his spirit and that he is carrying Ray's spirit with him. The story ends with Hideki hoping that Okinawa will reconstruct itself after this destruction.

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This is another painting by Colonel Charles H. Waterhouse.
In this artwork, you can see a soldier that is wounded lying on the ground and another soldier shooting his gun.
I thought that this painting well-depicts the scene in the book where Sergeant Meredith got injured by his own grenade that was activated by accident and the other soldiers, including Ray and Big John, tried to help him.

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Hospital Apprentice First Class Robert E. Bush, USNR - Okinawa Jima, Ryukyu Islands - Colonel Charles H. Waterhouse, USMCR - Google Arts & Culture

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Painting depicts Medal of Honor recipient Hospital Apprentice First Class Robert E. Bush, USNR in the Battle of Okinawa, 2 May 1945.

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On page 9 Hideki is given 2 grenades. He is told one is for him and the other is for an American soldier. This reveals the historical time period because Hideki was a child in the war. In world war 1 Okinawan children were fighting in this war and today this is not allowed. Now no children under the age of 17 can join the military.