"One afternoon Henry and I saw a shaggy black dog
behind a pile of vegetable crates. He looked so hungry
we convinced our cook Mr. Kikutani to give him a
piece of wiener teriyaki.
The dog gobbled it up so quickly we knew he was
still hungry. We took him to our unit and begged
Mama for cookies."
I am constantly amazed at what I learn from books designed for children! There seems no end to the topics, the points of view, or the importance of what has been written to spark interest and to augment learning. Children learn about key issues in books that help them understand their world. They become more empathetic. When parents, teachers, and caregivers create a sense of community by choosing and reading meaningful stories, they inspire their listeners to think beyond themselves and to put themselves in someone else's shoes.
In the foreword to his book, George Takei describes how being different resulted in great pain and a devastating loss for his family when they were taken, although American, from their home following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Being of Japanese descent was all that was needed to declare his family enemies of the American people, and to allow them to be 'imprisoned behind barbed wire fences'.
Geroge was 4 in 1941 when the bombs dropped on Pearl Harbor. In February 1942 all Japanese Americans were forced into prison camps. With courage and determination, his parents were able to keep their three children safe. They were first assigned to a germ-infested horse barn. Their next move was to Arkansas; conditions were not a lot better there. Working tirelessly and with help from neighbors, they made a home for themselves.
Mr. Takei's forthright portrayal of life in the camps, from a child's point-of-view, informs his readers of what it was like to live under guard of armed soldiers. He also wants them to know that they were moments to be enjoyed. They had movie nights and baseball games, a snowball fight and Santa Claus, singalongs and dances.
Their parents did their best at all times to make the conditions as good as they could be. They worked hard creating community for all, and comfort for their children. After their parents refused to sign papers that would have them drafted to fight for America in the war, they were called disloyal and sent to Tule Lake in northern California.
"Tule Lake was the largest of the ten prison camps and held
the most inmates - more than 18,000 people. Half were
children like Henry, Reiko, and me."
Once more, they made a home there, and found a dog they named Blackie. Life was better with him near. When the atomic bombs fell in Japan and the war was finally over, the inmates were released with $25 each to make a new life. It took time; George's father finally found work in Los Angeles and the family rushed to join him there.
Mixed-media artwork captures attention, and gives life to the many Japanese Americans who inhabited the camps. Fine details add to the visual appeal of the illustrations and provide context for the events described. An author’s note speaks to the fact that the time following their release did not end their struggles; only perseverance and hard work helped them find their way back to a good life and much success. Archival photographs are included.
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