Purple Heart

In "Purple Heart," Private Matt Duffy wakes up in an army hospital in Iraq to receive a Purple Heart, but grapples with the haunting memory of a young Iraqi boy's death, intertwining his fate with guilt he cannot fully comprehend due to a head injury. As he returns to combat with his tight-knit squad, Matt wrestles with fear and the complexities of morality in war, questioning his own ability to act in the face of danger. National Book Award Finalist Patricia McCormick crafts a powerful exploration of loyalty, trauma, and the murky gray areas of guilt in the chaos of conflict.