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65th out of 81 books
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59 voters
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A Jar of Dreams
Growing up in California during the depression isn't easy for eleven-year-old Rinko. She desperately wants to fit in and be like everyone else, but instead she is ridiculed and made to feel different because she is Japanese.
But when Aunt Waka comes to visit, and brings with her the old-fashioned wisdom of Japan, she teaches Rinko the importance of her Japanese heritage,
...morePaperback, 144 pages
Published
April 30th 1993
by Aladdin
(first published 1981)
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I was surprised to discover what a lovely story this book contains. The main character is a young girl named Rinko who lives in Berkeley, California with her family and visiting aunt from Japan. Early on in the story it becomes readily apparent how Rinko feels about herself and her Japanese culture. She feels different and wishes that she “could be like everybody else.” She painfully discloses how other children hurt her not only with words—but by talking “over, around and right through me l...more
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Rinko is a Janpanese girl that grew up in California during the depression. She longed for equal and be the same as everyone else, unfortunally, she failed because she is a Janpanese, she is differnt race from others. Little Rinko started to lose confidences as people ignored her. She never realizes her aunt Waka's visit can make such a huge change in her life. Aunt Waka taught Rinko the tradition of the Janpanese and how helps Rinko to value herself. I get angry when others judge people based o...more
This book is about a girl called Rinko, and mainly about the dreams she had, and also her family members. As day after day passed, she hoped that someday she would be a teacher, and wished that her family would also achieve their dream. Her brother's dream was to be a expert at mechanics, her dad's dream was to have his own barber shop, and her mother dreamed that she could have a laundry shop of her own. The only problem was that they were poor, and they were Japanese. It didn't seem a problem ...more
The most obvious theme in this book is discrimination, which is about a Japanese girl gets treated like an outcast in California, People see her as an outcast because of her race. I really do not like this situation to happen because I do not think race is the aspect to think of when you make friends. For me, race is just a characteristic of a person, it does not mean anything, what I mean is also included what race has a higher value in the society or what race is the lower class. I do not unde...more
Rinko is growing up in 1935 California. She believes that America is supposed to be the land of the free. However, she doesn't feel like she belongs here even if she was born here. She is not proud of her Japanese heritage because kids at school make fun of her, call her names and make her feel like an outsider. Then her Aunt Waka comes to spend the summer with her. It is her aunt who makes her father stand up to a bully, and decide to sell his business and start the business that he has a...more
This is a top of the line book that talks about the struggles of a young woman. She is teased because of Japanese culture. She becomes ashamed of being Japanese because people talk about her. her aunt comes to town and helps her find herself. She is proud of her beautiful heritage.
A good story about a Japanese American family and some of the prejudice they encounter even before WWII
Might be a good one to compare and contrast with the Great Wall of Lucy Wu, which is a more modern
story about a Chinese American girl and her issues of fitting in America.
Might be a good one to compare and contrast with the Great Wall of Lucy Wu, which is a more modern
story about a Chinese American girl and her issues of fitting in America.
This is a great book about an Asian American family that immigrated to the country and are working to become like other American citizens. They are targeted by other Americans who do not believe they should be here. This is a good book to use when learning about immigration.
This book told about the troubles of a Japanese girl who has to get uesd to America. People mistreat her as if she was a piece of dung. A really touching book.
This book is really good. Rinko doesn't like her culture, and hates herself for being Japanese, until Aunt Waka comes and shows her the truw meanin of being Japanese
Loved the writing, the tenderness, the honesty, etc... Would highly recommend this book for any child in the 3rd - 6th grades. I read it aloud to my 6-year-old who loved it.
This book was a great read, and I even introduced it to my teacher. The story is great to teach about Japanese culture and acceptance.
Marynna
rated it
This beautiful story may be disturbing for some sensitive young readers. Insightful, informative, and touching.
A good historical fiction of the Japanese experience in the US told from a young girls point of view.
I just read this with my 5th graders. A Japanese-American girl learns to take pride in herself and her heritage in a time when immigrants were hated for taking American jobs (has anything changed?). I couldn't help looking around the table at the children reading the book. What a cultural mix we have in our school - children from Turkey, Russia, Mexico, Sudan, Burma, Iraq, Somalia, Native American, South American... (the list goes on and on).
Each is unique, each is precious. If only w...more
Each is unique, each is precious. If only w...more
A really touching and good book.
Isabella
marked it as to-read
BL: 5.0 - AR Pts: 4.0
Aunt Waka is kinda like a ninja she is strong in mind and heart but smiles and loves life no matter what
I enjoyed this book which was set during the great depression. It explores the prejudice which Japanese-Americans faced at that time and would be great for discussing the climate which led to the internment camps of WWII. I think an interesting connection students could make to this book would be to investigate families who came through Angel Island or Ellis Island. Do the students have any immigration stories of their own? They could write a narrative about what it is like to be new to America....more
I'm reading it for school... ugh.
this is a good book. yoshiko uchida is a great historical fiction writer. she writes about historical things that are interesting and go with the story well. i enjoy all her books. this one is about believing in yourself and following your dreams. the title refers to opening the sealed jar of dreams that you may have and letting them free. anyone who enjoys historical fiction should read it.
Definitely my favorite of the series. Waka is spunky and inspiring, and Rinko has a great narration voice. Interesting look at 1930s Berkeley, CA from the perspective of the Japanese-American population. Sequels are The Best Bad Thing and The Happiest Ending.
An eye-opening story about Japanese-Americans who have to deal with harsh treatment from white Americans. They learn to stand up for themselves. It was an inspiring story and would be great for children from the Far East who come to live in America.
I LOVED IT!!, and I had never heard about it until I Bought! What I learned from it, I learned that you just have to trust in what you have to believe and that you have to trust and believe.
So the Japanese people were hated during the Great Depression; hopefully it'll never happen again. At least Riko's family finally found bravery to stand up to Wilbur Starr.
i think i was in fifth grade. most memorable passage: the father eating pickled daikon with tea and rice at the end of dinner.
Jelly Kate
rated it
This story is about life as a Japanese American at a time when there were laws that discriminated against them.
A great cultural read for children and young adults.
You can't be too jealous of competition
1930s California, Japanese Americans.
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Yoshiko, born on November 24, 1921, was the second daughter of Japanese immigrant parents Takashi and Iku. Her father worked as a businessman for Mitsui and Company in San Francisco, and Iku wrote poetry, passing along her love of literature to her girls. Though the Great Depression raged, the Uchida family enjoyed comforts because of Takashi's well-paying job and their own frugality. Yoshiko lo...more
More about Yoshiko Uchida...
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