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Mr. Hiroshi's Garden
White Raven Award of the International Youth Library winner, 2000, CCBC Our Choice Book, Recipient of The Storytelling World Honor Title, 2000 Notable Book, Social Studies, Children's Books Council.
"I will take care of your garden, Mr. Hiroshi," I offered. He smiled. "That would give me great comfort, Mary," he said. "The koi are greedy, you know. Do not let them get fat." We watched the bus drive away. For Mary, too young to fully understand about war and far-off places, the promise was meant to last only until Mr. Hiroshi came back. But after a while it was clear the her friend wouldn't be coming home. Still, Mary faithfully kept her word all through that long summer. And when the new people came to live in Mr. Hiroshi's house, she knew exactly what to do. A tale as elegant as a Japanese garden! Once more, Maxine Trottier takes a small piece of a larger story, nurtures it with care, and grows a tale as elegant as a Japanese Garden. Flags is a simple story of innocence and friendship set against a backdrop of fear and suspicion. A story that must be told and told again--but never allowed to recur. Originally published as Flags.
"I will take care of your garden, Mr. Hiroshi," I offered. He smiled. "That would give me great comfort, Mary," he said. "The koi are greedy, you know. Do not let them get fat." We watched the bus drive away. For Mary, too young to fully understand about war and far-off places, the promise was meant to last only until Mr. Hiroshi came back. But after a while it was clear the her friend wouldn't be coming home. Still, Mary faithfully kept her word all through that long summer. And when the new people came to live in Mr. Hiroshi's house, she knew exactly what to do. A tale as elegant as a Japanese garden! Once more, Maxine Trottier takes a small piece of a larger story, nurtures it with care, and grows a tale as elegant as a Japanese Garden. Flags is a simple story of innocence and friendship set against a backdrop of fear and suspicion. A story that must be told and told again--but never allowed to recur. Originally published as Flags.
32 pages, Paperback
First published July 14, 2006
About the author
Maxine Trottier
57 books31 followersMaxine Trottier is the award-winning writer of numerous books for young people, including Claire's Gift (winner of the Mr. Christie's Book Award), Laura: A Childhood Tale of Laura Secord, the Circle of Silver Chronicles, and The Tiny Kite of Eddy Wing (winner of the CLA Book of the Year Award).
A former teacher and an avid sailor, Maxine has long been fascinated by history. She is now an associate member of La Société des Filles du roi et soldats du Carignan, whose purpose is "to honour the memory of these courageous people." While researching Alone in an Untamed Land, Maxine discovered that she herself is directly descended from a fille du roi.
Maxine lives in the small outport of Newman's Cove in Newfoundland, with her husband William and their Yorkie Moon.
A former teacher and an avid sailor, Maxine has long been fascinated by history. She is now an associate member of La Société des Filles du roi et soldats du Carignan, whose purpose is "to honour the memory of these courageous people." While researching Alone in an Untamed Land, Maxine discovered that she herself is directly descended from a fille du roi.
Maxine lives in the small outport of Newman's Cove in Newfoundland, with her husband William and their Yorkie Moon.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 11, 2018
This historical fiction book is based on the story of a little girl staying with her grandmother on the West Coast of Canada where she is intrigued by her neighbours garden. Mr. Hiroshi is taken away, as this takes place during the Second World War. This happened to many Japanese Canadians.
August 30, 2023
Read for English Reading Circle.
Beautiful story
Beautiful story
April 22, 2009
Dazzling light glows against darkening shadows as this warmly told memory of friendship and fortitude peeks into a dim chapter in Canadian history.
You can listen in on our chat about this book on our Just One More Book! Children's Book Podcast.
Other books mentioned:
-Gleam and Glow
-Naomi's Tree
-Naomi's Road
-Baseball Saved Us
For more information about the Japanese Internment of 1942-1945, visit Vanishing British Columbia, Canada: A People's History, and Canadian Nikkei.
You can read about more of our favourite Canadian, Asian-themed children’s books in this essay by Andrea at Paper Tigers.
You can listen in on our chat about this book on our Just One More Book! Children's Book Podcast.
Other books mentioned:
-Gleam and Glow
-Naomi's Tree
-Naomi's Road
-Baseball Saved Us
For more information about the Japanese Internment of 1942-1945, visit Vanishing British Columbia, Canada: A People's History, and Canadian Nikkei.
You can read about more of our favourite Canadian, Asian-themed children’s books in this essay by Andrea at Paper Tigers.
March 21, 2016
This book started out fun and ended in tragedy. What a shocker. I love stories from around WWII about children who befriend the "enemy"; I love how they are either confused about why everyone is a racist, or learn themselves to judge people according to THEIR actions and not someone elses who has something in common with them. What a sad world we live in. Great book, enjoyed the writing, not really the illustrations, but to each his own.
April 16, 2016
It's rare to find a picture book with a didactic purpose that also works on a purely artistic level. This one manages to find that balance.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews