In dreamlike sequences, a man symbolically confronts the trauma of his familys history.
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Jan 28, 2010
Ceridwen
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This is the children's book equivalent of Oscar-bait. It deals with a serious subject seriously. It has bloodly brilliant art direction. But it doesn't make much sense, and when you go to rip on it, you feel bad because you don't want to look like you're ripping on Japanese Internment. I'm not ripping on Japanese Interment. I'm not ripping on writing children's books about serious subjects; in fact, our dark history is a necessary component of any child's education. I'm just ripping on this book
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(16 people liked it)
Sep 21, 2010
Shannan
rated it: 
This reminded me so much of my dream sequences that I encounter. it seems like I tend to mix up the heavy thinking that I'm doing sometimes into one dream. This was my first reaction however as I re-read i started to see the parallels between what the character was experiencing in his life, the Native American and Japanese experience. I love books like this. Visually I was interested in the trajectory movement in the pictures. The waterfall, the light through the tunnel,the light through the hol
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Mar 22, 2011
Lynette
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It was a little difficult for me to follow this book. I liked the concept of the nametags going away. It looked the illustrator used watercolors for this story. The way the water flows and the horizontal skyline makes me beleive that is what he used. Also The illustrator has the illustration with a white border. Also the author put the words on the left side of the page with an all white background. The illustrations were always on the right side of the pages, thus hinting at the idea of moving
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Nov 15, 2011
Hannah
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This book is very deep and serious. The story symbolizes the Japenese during WWII and how the innocent Japanese people were put into camps, similar to the Jewish people during the Holocaust. It might be a little hard for young children to relationship the main character has experienced that relates to the Japanese people. The illustrator uses a white border throughout the book. It isn't a very colorful book, which I think the illustrator chose this because the story isn't a vibrant story. It is
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Feb 02, 2012
Anne
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This odd, dreamlike story evokes the emotions any of us (but especially people of Japanese-American descent) might have when we ponder the horror of our own government imprisoning more than 120,000 people during World War II for no reason other than fear. This book is probably best for older elementary and middle schoolers after they know the facts of the Japanese American internment.
Mar 16, 2010
Gina
rated it:
Format: Picture Book
Interest Level: 6th grade and up
In a dream, the main character remembers the Japenese Internment camp. At first he doesn't know where he is. He sees two children with tags arouond their necks who explain they are from camp. He tells them he'll take them back and that's when he sees the camp and all the children with their tags. The man finds a tag with a name that links his life with the children's. The picutres and story leave you with a haunting feeling.
Interest Level: 6th grade and up
In a dream, the main character remembers the Japenese Internment camp. At first he doesn't know where he is. He sees two children with tags arouond their necks who explain they are from camp. He tells them he'll take them back and that's when he sees the camp and all the children with their tags. The man finds a tag with a name that links his life with the children's. The picutres and story leave you with a haunting feeling.
Sep 18, 2010
Megan
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This is a very thought provoking story that encourages you to analyze meaning in the book and to make connections to a historical event. It's written and illustrated in a way that's confusing yet, intriguing.
Jun 13, 2009
Lesley
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For me, this story straddles the border between touching and creepy. I didn't totally get why the main character just saw children. Still, it was an interesting peek into the Japanese American internment camps.
Aug 06, 2010
Cornmaven
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Nice novel in verse. I liked the redemption/hope contained in a meek and mild Minnesota cow, as a Sudanese refugee's salvation. We Americans don't know how good we have it.
Jan 29, 2011
Angie
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I found this story strange. Not one of Say's best - though the illustrations are beautiful.
Jul 21, 2009
Nan
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What a wonderful, spooky story. A great way to open up a conversation about war and racism.
May 27, 2009
Snorkle
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While I read this book I had a slight sense of creepiness, the drawings also helped to enhance this feature. The story's message was good, but I thought it might have been slightly better portrayed. I did like the title of this book, it was ironic and powerful. I would probably still recommend, but it just didn't feel like very much of a children's book.
*Taken from my book reviews blog: http://reviewsatmse.blogspot.com/2009/05...
*Taken from my book reviews blog: http://reviewsatmse.blogspot.com/2009/05...
Sep 06, 2009
Armando
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This is the story of a man who is remembering about life in an internment camp. He founds some kids that he thinks are lost in the desert but then he finds out it was him and this is the camp where he was.
Sep 03, 2011
Theresa
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a man on a vision is able to free his mother and uncle from the interment camps
Feb 08, 2012
Jan 21, 2012
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Sep 29, 2011
