Love in the Library, written by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and illustrated by Yas Imamura. Candlewick Press, Penguin Random House. 2022. $24.99 ages 7 and up

 

"Tama did not know when she would
ever leave Minidoka - if she ever would.
But there was nothing to be done about 
that. So she worked in the library and
watched as each day passed her by. 

Some days, many people would come to 
the library and borrow something to read."

In a book inspired by her Japanese grandparents' experiences at a World War II incarceration camp, Ms. Tokuda-Hall builds a powerful story. They were sent to Minidoka, Idaho following the bombing at Pearl Harbor. Her story begins after her grandmother had been there for a year. Tama hated the desert, the dust, the fences that keep her imprisoned. Wanting to do her best to deal with the conditions she was living under, she worked at the camp library. She had no training; she did the job assigned to her. 

George was always first in line, waiting to return yesterday's books and check out more. Many things had changed in their lives.in the past year. Conditions in the camps were deplorable. Tama did her best to get through the worry and fear.  George brought a smile each day, and the books helped pass time. 

"Pressed between their covers were words that planted seeds in the garden of Tama's mind. How magical that -even in Minidoka - such a small little library could fit so much inside its four walls!"

Smiling was not as easy for Tama, as it seemed to be for George. She was able to talk to him about the confusion she was feeling. That helped. The more time they spent together, the stronger their bond. They married and had a child. What wonder they found in each other, at the worst time of their life! 

Ms. Imamura's earthy tones create a stunning look at the worry and the warmth of the internment setting, and the growing relationship between Tama and George. Their imprisonment was unjust and constantly filled with an uneasiness about their future. That is clearly shown in these remarkable images. 

An author's note speaks to the racism that put her grandparents in Minidoka, and that still exists. 

"Hate is not a virus; it is an American tradition." 

Despite that, as her grandparents did, marginalized people continue to find hope and joy in their lives: perhaps a promise for a better future. When we know more, we can do better.