Fish for Jimmy: Inspired by One Family's Experience in a Japanese American Internment Camp

by Katie Yamasaki

For two boys in a Japanese American family, everything changed when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor and the United States went to war.

With the family forced to leave their home and go to an internment camp, Jimmy loses his appetite. Older brother Taro takes matters into his own hands and, night after night, sneaks out of the camp and catches fresh fish for Jimmy to help make him strong again.

This affecting tale of courage and love is an adaptation of the author's true family story, and includes a letter to readers with more information about the historical background and inspiration.

Genres: Picture Books, Historical Fiction, World War II, Cultural, Family, Childrens, Historical

40 pages, Paperback

First published January 7, 2013

About the author

Katie Yamasaki is an artist based in Brooklyn, NY. She works primarily as a muralist, children’s book author / illustrator and teaching artist.

Reviews

[Alex Baugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

When people of Japanese descent were rounded up and sent to live in internment camps shortly after the United States entered World War II, they found themselves eating a very different diet than the fresh fish, vegetables, and fruit that had been available when they had lived near the Pacific Ocean. Jimmy and his older brother Taro are no exception to enjoying fresh food, after all their parents own a Farmer's Market.

But early in December, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, their father is taken away by three men in the FBI. The family can no longer live in their home and run their Farmer's Market, and Jimmy, Taro and their mother find themselves "forced to live in tiny barracks surrounded by guards." Confused about what is happening, Jimmy refuses to eat the unfamiliar food he is served.

And no matter how much they try to coax him, no one can get Jimmy to eat. Although everyone is worried about him, Jimmy just doesn't understand why his family isn't living in their home near the ocean. Or why they can't eat his mother's good rice and noodles, or the fresh vegetables and fish he loves so much? Soon, Jimmy even stops playing with the other kids.

One night, Taro, worried about Jimmy and feeling responsible for taking care of him in their father's absence, makes a big decision. Taking a borrowed pair of garden shears, he quietly leaves the barrack, find a place in the fence where the guards can't see him and clips a hole he can crawl through.

Finding a mountain stream, Taro waits until he feels a fish hitting against his leg, then quickly grabs fish after fish, wrapping them in his mother's scarf. And in the morning, there is fish for Jimmy, who finally eats to his mother and Taro's relief.

In her end note, author Katie Yamasaki writes that Fish for Jimmy is based on a true story from her family's history. Her great-grandfather was arrested by the FBI just as Taro and Jimmy's father had been, though it was her grandfather's cousin who snuck out of the camp to find fish for his young son. I think that by putting the stories together, Yamasaki is able to highlight the impact that interning innocent people, particularly children, based solely on their ethnicity through Jimmy's depression and his refusal to eat and works to make this a very accessible story for young readers. Sadly, it made me think about all the Jimmys who found themselves in these camps and who were too young to understand what was happening.

The illustrations, done with acrylic paint, vividly capture the emotions each person is feeling. The reader sees Jimmy going from a happy little boy to a depressed child and finally as a smiling kid after having a taste of home again. The danger Taro faced sneaking out to catch the fish is aptly shown in a spread with the barbed wire fence in the foreground and guards with big guns in the background, and behind that, readers can see Taro's searching for the right spot in the fence to cut through. It is a wonderful, dynamic, rather sophisticated image, and Yamasaki the muralist painter is really present in it.

Fish for Jimmy is an excellent choice for introducing the history of the internment of Japanese Americans to young readers and it will definitely resonate with things happening in today's world for them.

This book is recommended for readers age 6+
This book was borrowed from the Bank Street School Library

[Julia Rabb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine being forced out of your home with no warning. This was the sad reality for Jimmy and Taro’s family, along with many others. Read to find out how they dealt with this hardship. Brothers Jimmy and Taro, along with their mom and dad were a Japanese family that lived in California. They enjoyed their life, with their dad working at a vegetable market, with the mom helping sometimes too. The two brothers enjoyed the ocean, and watching the fish. This moment of watching the fish, foreshadows the importance of fish later in the book. Life was peaceful, until it was announced on the radio that Japan had bombed pearl harbor. Jimmy and Taro were confused on why it was so worrying since they lived in California, but quickly learned as three FBI workers pounded on the door. The workers insisted that due to the dad being Japanese he must leave as he posed a “threat” to America. As the father left, he instructed Taro to be the man of the house. Soon after signs began going up that America and Japan were at war, and that all Japanese people must leave their homes and board buses. The buses lead Taros family, along with others to an isolated internment camp where they would be forced to live in small houses called barracks surrounded by a guarded fence. The stress of it all caused Jimmy to lose his appetite completely. This made Taro and the mother worry. Understandably, Jimmy did not understand why they had to be away from home. Taro could not sleep any longer, as his worry over Jimmy got too much. Taro then takes on almost a father role for Jimmy and decides to take action, and leave the camp to find food for Jimmy. He cut a hole in the fence and left the camp. Taro found a stream and stood until he caught 7 fish for Jimmy, and then quietly snuck back to camp. Knowing that Jimmy looked up to him, he likely felt responsible for helping his brother. Finally Jimmy ate again, as the fish was likely a comfort food that he was familiar with from his home. After many months the father was released from the prison, and able to join the family in the camp. With the book ending at the father being allowed into the camp with the family, rather than the family being let back home, it shows the reality of the hardships that many families went through during the ww2 time period. The lack of a “happy ending” allows readers to take in the fact that many families did not have a “happy ending” and that this was a life altering event that changed their lives forever. The book highlights multiple themes such as love, injustice, and courage. First the book focuses on love as it states the Jimmy hopes to one day be as strong and smart as Taro. This displays a brotherly love and admiration that Jimmy has for Taro, and shows that Jimmy looks up to Taro. Another example is when the father told Taro to take care of the family. The love between Taro and the father is apparent as Taro genuinely took those words to heart and replayed them in his head even when dealing with stress himself. However the best example of love in this book is when Taro snuck away to catch fish for Jimmy, in hopes that he would eat. This act of love for his brother took bravery and courage. Taro risked his life towards the effort of helping his brother. This selflessness showed the love Taro had for his family. The next theme shown through the book is injustice. The dad and family being forcefully removed from their home, represented the injustices that hundreds of thousands of people faced during the WW2 time period. It exemplified the injustice of being judged and punished based on race, as the family was forced into the camp. The book goes on to show the effects of the injustices on both the adults and children as the stress and mistreatment caused Jimmy to become depressed and ill, and the father was forced to put the responsibility onto Taro as he himself was forcefully removed from his home. A third theme shown in this book was courage. The whole family showed courage as they left their old life behind, to abide by the new “measures” taken place. The dad showed courage when leaving his home, to go to what is later revealed as jail. The mom shows courage by leaving her home with her two kids and taking care of them by herself. Jimmy shows courage by leaving his home despite not understanding what is going on. Most of all Taro shows courage by not only leaving, but by taking on the responsibility of Jimmy, and risking his life to find food for Jimmy. The main genre of this book is historical fiction, because the book is based on a Japanese families experience at a Japanese American Internment camp during ww2, which is historical, however the characters and the exact story are made up, making it fiction as well. Through reading this book I learned about the effects that the bombing of pearl harbor had on Japanese families living in the US, which is something I never fully educated myself on before. The book taught me the impacts of injustice on both adults and children, and how such hardships have physical and emotional impacts, such as being too sad to eat. This book also taught me to be more appreciative to all the things I have in my life, as something as simple as a familiar food from home, brought Jimmy a sense of hope that he hadn't seen in months. This book was absolutely a “WOW” for me as it really affected me emotionally. After reading the book I took a step back and really thought about the book. The book was extremely well written as to when the characters felt sad, I felt sad along with them. The part of the book that really stood out to me was the ending, A lot of historical fiction books that I’ve read review hardships and wars and then have a time jump to create a happier ending, this book did not do that. While the father joining the family at the camp was a happy moment for the family, it did not solve all of the problems. The family was still at the camp, and it wasn’t implied that they were leaving any time soon. This ending allowed for the effects of the war to really sink in, as it was a permanent effect on their lives.
First, the author used the writing craft technique of symbolism. An example of this writing craft from this book is through the illustrations of fish throughout the book. In the beginning of the book it talked about Jimmy and Taro’s love for watching the pacific fish swim. As they left their home a trail of fish can be seen surrounding Jimmy on multiple pages. This became a symbol of hope and comfort. By having the fish surround Jimmy it also represented the longing Jimmy had for the familiarity of home, and how these feelings were following him no matter where he went. Through Taro getting fish for Jimmy, he was able to feel the comfort that he longed for throughout the book, giving him hope for a better future. Another literary device used is foreshadowing. The book begins with the two boys swimming in the big ocean surrounded by fish, as well as mentions the boys love of watching the fish. This becomes an instance of foreshadowing the importance of fish later in the book, as something that began as just an interest would become something they would soon long for. A final literary device used was imagery. In the start of the book the two boys swam with colorful fish that had little versions of the boys riding the fish with their arms in the air.This represents the joy and freedom the boys felt swimming through this ocean. Throughout the middle of the book, bland colored fish can be seen following Jimmy, representing the loss of hope that Jimmy had. When Taro went to go catch fish, the fish had a small version of Jimmy laying on top of the fish with no movement, which represents the complete lack of joy and hope that Jimmy had left. This imagery was helpful for the quality of the book as it provided a visual idea of how Jimmy was feeling during this time, and reflected in a way that could be understood without having to be physically written. This book was properly an anti- bias book as it displayed real life events and how families were affected without using any stereotypes or negative language towards any group. The book reflects on experiences inspired by the author's life, giving the book credibility with the author having an informed background.

[Suzi Luger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picture book about the Japanese internment camp as told through the eyes of a child.

[Jacklyn Azar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Freedom is a gift. When the world pulls that away, what would you do to protect your loved ones? This book shows the theme of seeing how life is and can be so different for everyone, no matter your ethnicity, culture, or even how you grew up. I see how this book can show readers, especially children, different life perspectives and how everyone has family issues of their own. I really enjoyed how this book took place after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and how it shows real-life scenarios that happen to families in times of crisis, especially with the story of Jimmy and his family being forced out of their homes. In the camp, Jimmy begins to experience stress and lose his appetite because of the fear of what is going to happen to him and his family. From my point of view, it is very important to see how the act of "fishing for Jimmy" becomes a symbol of hope and care through oppressive circumstances. The major themes in this book, I found, were identity, hope, and resilience. With these themes, identity was one that stuck out to me because of the historical background and how identity is inherited. With the theme of hope, it is shown when Jimmy is consistently doing things to help his family and show them hope throughout this whole crisis. The main genre of this book is historical fiction. Through reading this book, I believe children can learn how important it is to be understanding of their peers and learn how to be empathetic toward other children who come from all over the world. It can help children develop compassion for how many other children in the world go through war. This book was a WOW book for me because it showed me how unfair the world can be and how history is repeating itself all the time. Because of the current wars happening, and being from the country of these wars, it made me feel compassion and hope for the people who are going through this currently.

The author used multiple literary devices and other forms of writing craft in this book. First, the author uses the writing craft technique of contrast. An example of this writing craft from this book is when the author shows the sadness, but also the happiness, throughout the book with the bad times and the good times. This writing craft technique enhances the quality of this book by helping the younger readers grasp the idea of happy endings and powering through hard times. Second, the author used the writing craft technique of symbolism. An example of this writing craft from the book is when the author conveys deep meaning through parts of the book that represent hope and healing. This writing craft technique enhanced the quality of the book by helping readers see the big picture and get more of an emotional feeling in the book. I would consider this book to be anti-bias because it is based on true events from U.S. history and real-life experiences of what families went through during this time. I would highly recommend this book to younger readers and for older readers because of the theme of learning empathy for younger children.

[Vanessa Macias · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Fish for Jimmy” was written by a Japanese woman whose family endured a Japanese internment camp during World War II. She did not use hyperbole to describe the experience, and her illustrations helped tell the story of what the characters were thinking and feeling. The illustrations and story line are historically accurate, and there is no sign of stereotypical or racist language or symbolism.

While reading this story, I was taken back to when I first learned of some of the atrocities of America. I never knew we had sent citizens to camps out of fear. While the Jews suffered in horrid conditions and fear in Europe, Japanese suffered a lot of the same segregation, racism, and fear in the United States. It also reminded me of my history lesson of the Native people in the U.S. I only learned about the education of the Native children while attending the university. The horrid treatment of all tribes, the Trail of Tears, and so many other injustices are what prevented America from being as great as people thought it was.

Discussion Questions:
1. When was Taro’s family sent to live in a camp?
2. How would you interpret Jimmy’s behaviors?
3. What would result if Taro were caught sneaking out of camp?
4. Why do you think Americans were so scared of Japanese families that they sent them to live in a heavily guarded camp?
5. Do you agree with the actions of Taro sneaking out of camp? Justify your response.
6. How would you design a camp for the Japanese to live in if you were forced to make one? Draw your plan.

[Amy Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm using this book as part of my historical Fiction unit.

Katie Yamasaki takes readers into the historical time period when racial prejudice and fear against Japanese Americans allowed the creation of Japanese internment camps along the West coast of the United States- something I never learned about when I was in school!
Right after the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, more than 110,000 Japanese Americans were taken from their homes and sent to live in the internment camps for fear that they were working with Japan. Yamasaki’s family stayed at the Granada Relocation Center in Amache, Colorado. In her book, Fish For Jimmy, Yamasaki retells a family story about how freedom can come to you when you’re concern for others becomes greater than your concern for yourself.

I think Yamasaki's illustrations are also fantastic.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jimmy and his older brohter Taro enjoy their life by the Pacific Ocean and their family vegetable market, but when WWII and war with Japan prompts the U. S. government to arrest their father and send the family to an internment camp, Jimmy becomes depressed and refuses to eat. Desperate to save his brother, Taro slips out of the camp and manages to catch fish in a mountain stream so his brother will be reminded of home. The book contains an author's note explaining the family story behind this picture book. Pair this one with Barbed Wire Baseball by Marissa Moss of So Far from the Sea by Even Bunting as an introduction to the Japanese internment camps.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initially I didn't warm to the surrealist illustrations but by the end of the book they felt integral and appropriate to the story and I loved the streams of fishes that swim through the pages. I haven't read many picture books on the horrid history of the internment camps and this one is done in such a child-centered way. Some of the illustrations of the camp itself are especially affecting.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A touching, beautifully illustrated story based upon the author's own family history.

[Hanieh Faani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Introduction and First impressions
Have you ever been in a situation where you had to risk your own safety just to see your family smile again? Fish for Jimmy is a quiet, devastating, and ultimately heartwarming story about this kind of love, set against one of the darkest and least discussed chapters of American history.
In this book, a Japanese-American family's world is torn apart when Japan bombs Pearl Harbor and the United States enters World War II. The family is broken into two and forced to leave their home and relocate to an internment camp where Jimmy the younger brother loses his appetite entirely, grieving and traumatized by everything they had to endure. He longs for the good rice and noodles, fresh vegetables, and fish they used to eat at home. His older brother Taro, determined to keep his promise to their father to take care of the family, makes a really hard decision. One night, Taro cuts through the barbed-wire fence, finds a distant stream, catches fish with his bare hands, and returns while creeping in the shadows of the camp, finally awakening Jimmy’s appetite.What struck me most was not the injustice of the camp itself though that is still unbelievable and enraging, but the bravery of a brother who refuses to let his family fall apart even when he also needs someone to care for him. It reminded me of the quiet, unspoken sacrifices that people who love us make every day, and how rarely we recognize their efforts or take them for granted.
The major themes of this book are family and sacrifice, and injustice and resilience. Taro's nightly escapes are acts of love, rooted in a promise made to an absent father and a refusal to watch his little brother and mother disappear into despair. At the same time, the story never lets the reader forget the profound injustice that made this sacrifice necessary in the first place. The internment of 110,000 Japanese and Japanese-American citizens is the historical backdrop against which this intimate family story unfolds and Yamasaki ensures that the reader feels both the weight of that history and the identity of those who had endured it.
The main genre of this book is historical fiction, as the story is set during World War II and is rooted in the real and documented history of Japanese-American internment, while being told through the eyes of fictional characters drawn from the author's own family history.
Through reading this book, I learned that the historical forced internment of Japanese-American families during World War II has been dangerously undertaught and underacknowledged. It make you wonder about other atrocities lost between records. Children reading this book could also learn that love in its truest form materializes through actions and small gestures. Taro demonstrates this with his courage and willingness to risk everything night after night for the person he loves most.
This book was a WOW book for me because of the way it made brotherly love feel so real. I loved how sacrifice has been depicted so quietly as it is here: a boy, a fence, a stream, and a fish.
Literary Analysis
The author used multiple literary devices and other forms of writing craft in this book. First, Katie Yamasaki used the writing craft technique of visual symbolism through illustration. Yamasaki's muscular acrylics depict fish swimming through the air all around Jimmy, giving a detailed idea to his longing. This technique enhanced the quality of the book by allowing the illustrations to carry meaning that the spare text does not need to state directly, making the story feel layered and emotionally resonant on multiple levels.
Second, the author used the writing craft technique of understatement. While Yamasaki doesn’t go in depth about the hows and ways in which the Japanese were mistreated in the internment camps she illustrates the alienating atmosphere perfectly throughout by illustrating scenes with guard towers, barbed wire, floodlights, the absence of the father,and the grief on the mother's face. This technique enhanced the quality of the book by trusting young readers to feel the weight of the situation themselves, rather than being told how to feel, which makes the emotional impact far more powerful and lasting.
I would consider this book to be an anti-bias book because it humanizes the experience of a Japanese-American family confronting a moment in American history when an entire community was demonized as enemies on the basis of their ethnicity alone. Yamasaki wrote this book to honor the bravery of her own family and the memory of those like them who share this heritage see their ancestors' stories told and heard, while children unfamiliar with this history are confronted with a truth that demands moral reflection and discussions about the importance of learning about our collective history.

[Lorenz Alacbay · Rating 5 out of 5]

What happens when a family's world is turned upside down? In this book, two Japanese-American brothers, Taro and Jimmy, are forced to leave their home and relocate to an internment camp during World War II. When Jimmy loses his appetite and struggles to cope with his new life, Taro takes a daring risk and escapes from the camp to catch fish. The major themes in the book were resilience and family. For example, the brothers cope with the challenges of the internment camp through their love and support for each other. The main genre of this book is historical fiction. Children reading this book could learn about the importance of family and the impact of the internment camps on Japanese-Americans. This book was a WOW book for me because it told about a dark period in American history.

The author used multiple literary devices and other forms of writing craft in this book. First, the author used the writing craft technique of imagery. An example of this writing craft from this book is when the author describes the Pacific Ocean and Jimmy's longing for it. Second, the author used the writing craft technique of foreshadowing. An example of this writing craft from this book is when the author hints at the difficulties the family will face, "But one night early in December 1941, Mother and Father frowned deeply at what they heard on the radio. Japan had bombed Pearl Harbor, in Hawaii." Both writing craft techniques enhanced the quality of the book by drawing the reader in and building tension. The author portrayed anti-bias perspectives in this book by showing how unfairly Japanese-Americans were treated during World War II.

[Rebeca Sanchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theme: Knowing the important things in life is being together with family.

The story starts out with Jimmy and Taro having a normal swimming day off in California's beaches. Taro reminds Jimmy that several miles away is Japan, where their parents came from to get a better life in America. Everything seems normal with their parents working at the market, but everything takes for the worst when Pearl Harbor is bombed. Taro's father is taken away from the family, then the rest of the family is taken to a camp. By the environment portrayed in the book, Jimmy feels very depressed and decides to starve himself. Taro decides to sneak out and manages to get Jimmy to finally eat something that reminds him of home. The story ends with the father released but in the camp with his family, so it does end with an open ending that is sad.

At the very beginning of the book, there is more vivid and colorful images seen by the characters. The illustrator then reinforces these ideas when it comes to then shifting to more saddening and depressing colors like browns, blacks, and grayness to each image. Even though the book ends with a sad ending, I do see that the message is clearly conveyed with the family stick together in the good days and for their bad days. To me, the book was a very beautiful survivor story but I would rather have the book demonstrate that the characters lived a happy ending. The topic of the internment camp is a tragic piece of history, but it shouldn't be glossed over with it being somewhat relevant today.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book while I was reading "Imprisoned: The Betrayal of Japanese Americans During World War II," by Martin W. Sandler. "Fish for Jimmy: Inspired by One Family's Experience in a Japanese American Internment Camp," by Katie Yamasaki tells about this experience from a child's perspective. Yamasaki based this on a true story of her own grandfather's experience. In the story Jimmy's family comes to American in search of a better life. They become successful and open a vegetable stand. Then, one night they hear the devastating news of Japan bombing Pearl Harbor. Shortly after the FBI comes to their home and takes Jimmy's father. Jimmy and the rest of his family are sent to an internment camp. Jimmy looses his appetite, and begins to miss the food he was used to his mother cooking at home. His brother sneaks out of the camp to go fishing. He brings seven fish back for his mother to cook. Finally, Jimmy eats and they see their mother smile for the first time since arriving in the camp. A short time later the war is over, and they are reunited with their father. This story gave me more insight as to what it was actually like for a family being sent to the internment camps, especially from a child's perspective. I would recommend reading this book to students first as an introduction to a history lesson on Japanese American Internment camps to help them get a better understanding and see it from a point of view they can relate to.

[Samantha Freeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Original Summary: Taro and Jimmy are living a wonderful life with their parents in California until one day when the FBI comes to their door after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Their father is taken to prison, and Taro, Jimmy, and their mother are taken to Japanese American internment camps. Jimmy refuses to eat because it doesn't taste like the food they ate at home. Taro sneaks out of the internment camp, finds some fish in the river and brings them back to the camp to cook for Jimmy.

Original Review: This book is a great way to introduce and discuss the hard challenges that Japanese Americans faced during World War 2. This is a great way to get students talking about the injustices that Japanese Americans faced during the war just because of their race.

Other books to pair with/connect to: The Harmonica by Tony Johnston is a great book to pair this with because it also discusses the hardships of World War 2 from a young Jewish boy's perspective. These two books can be compared and contrasted with students and be a conversation starter for them as well.

Quote: "In the morning there was fish for Jimmy. As Mother cooked the fish in their barrack, Taro's belly rumbled. He realized how much he too had missed the fresh food of home." Students can look at this social justice issue and brainstorm in a small group the ways in which Japanese Americans were treated unfairly, especially since they were already living in America.

[❂ Ann ❂ · Rating 4 out of 5]

After receiving two copies of this book from Holiday House, I must say it has really grown on me. I might just want an ornament with Jimmy riding on a fish because it's eccentric enough. I was mesmerized for pages. Based on the true story of Yamasaki's grandfather's cousin, she tells the story of Taro and his family, who were hauled off to a concentration camp in Amache, Colorado. Conditions were so dismal, Taro's brother, Jimmy, becomes non responsive and stops eating all together. All seems hopeless until Taro discovers there is a river right outside the fence teeming with fish. He decides to risk getting caught for the sake of reviving his brother by bringing back the Pacific fish to remind him of their home in California. Figures are depicted with thick acrylic paint. The story is told with Hiroshige text and conveys the severity of the time period. FBI agents are faceless in gray trench coats. Scale is used to show subconscious and conscious imaginings of the main characters. Another individual's fascinating family history of surviving the Japanese internment camps. http://www.katieyamasaki.com

[Fatima Ashraf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fish for Jimmy is exemplary of what we need on children's book shelves across the country. A story filled with history, life lessons, and incredibly beautiful illustrations, this is the best kid's book that I've ever owned. Furthermore, I researched author Katie Yamasaki and learned that she's an activist, muralist, and community organizer. Her website shares info about her amazing projects that empower young people and families with extenuating life circumstances. Knowing that Fish for Jimmy was written by someone whose life was directly impacted by internment and who is someone that seeks to make the world a better place both through books and actions, makes this book all the more important to have in your home.

[Lili · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fish for Jimmy is a heartwarming look into a dark time in our nation's history of which few children are aware. This powerful story is touching and beautifully illustrated, and introduces its small readers to how governmental policy can create and perpetuate inhumane treatment of children and their families. While Japanese internment was "legal" being initiated by a presidential Executive Order (9066), it certainly was instilled with injustice and inhumanity. With the simple story of Jimmy's family in the internment camp, this becomes increasingly clear to the reader, a critical accomplishment given the disturbing stance that the current president has taken on family separation of immigrants and their children.

[Abby]

I guess if you're an adult you might see this book and think you know what's coming. And you do, but also you don't, and that's what makes it so good. This tiny little experience is so personal, so typical and real, that it can only be improved by the fanciful illustrations that tell the story vividly from Jimmy's frame of mind even though he never speaks. The stakes of this story are so high, but it turns on the simple comfort of fresh food. There is a lot packed in here.

From Brandon Shimoda's list of best books he read in 2020, which I am working my way through for kicks (https://twitter.com/brandonshimoda/st...).

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I re-read "Fish for Jimmy" right after reading an article in The Nation about America's internment of immigrant and refugee children at our southern border. Katie Yamasaki's book shows us that family stories are indeed timeless, that children suffer when our policies are based on fear rather than compassion. The illustrations are beautiful, a wonderful blend of the detailed and the impressionistic, the dreamlike with grounded realism. A marvelous book for encouraging caring and historical curiosity in children.

[Chris Langlois · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fish for Jimmy, Katie Yamaski's picture book for children, is a gentle, beautifully illustrated introduction to a shameful chapter in America's relationship to our immigrant population. She tells the story of her Japanese family wrenched from their California home and sent to an internment camp during WWII. The story centers on two young brothers, Taro and Jimmy. Jimmy is not thriving on camp food but his brother finds a unique solution, involving great risk. Love is the key. A wonderful gift for any young person.

[Ashlee Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katie Yamasaki is a brilliant author and illustrator and Fish for Jimmy is one of the best kids books I've ever purchased. A heart wrenching and inspiring tale of one of America's darkest moments, Fish for Jimmy is a must-read for all families. This is the type of book that provides our kids with vital historical information and with motivation to do better and not allow history to repeat itself.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some other picture books about the Japanese Internment, but this one does a really good job of depicting how the stress and trauma affected the kids in the camp. Jimmy is thrown into a completely unfamiliar environment, taken from the only home he knew, and has his dad taken from him. Of course the kid can't eat. It is only when he gets a taste of something familiar that he is able to start doing the things that will help him to survive his circumstances.

[Mark Himmelsbach · Rating 5 out of 5]

My three-year-old daughter loves this look for its amazing artwork and visuals.

We love this book because it's an incredible message for kids and adults.

It's sparked some terrific conversations but ones that are told through a beautiful story.

Would recommend for the art and for the copy!

[Russell Moroye · Rating 5 out of 5]

An insightful picture book on a relatively taboo topic geared towards younger children. Provides insight on what people (and kids especially) felt like as they were locked away in internment camps with very little familiarity around them other than their family (which was reduced to a number) and the very few limited belongings they could bring with them.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will never cease to be amazed at the cruelty and injustices Japanese Americans experienced in being interned in camps during WWII. But I am in awe at the human spirit and the stories of incredible courage, love, and compassion seen in these moments and places of terror. This is a beautiful story taken from the author's family history about a big brother who saves a little brother's life.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about how difficult some children found it to be in the internment camps and what their families did to help. In this case, Jimmy missed the ocean and eating fresh fish. His brother snuck out of camp every week to go fishing in the river so Jimmy could have fish.

[Jessie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of a family in a Japanese American internment camp and how they took care of each other.

The acrylic paintings effectively illustrate the story, especially the market scene and the pages for Taro sneaking out of the camp.

[Salihmatin · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible read! As a dad of 3 boys I found this tale of brotherly love absolutely wonderful. Coupled with gorgeous art, author Katie Yamasaki shares an important part of her family's history with every family who opens this book's beautiful pages.

[Malia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the slightly surreal art in this book, and the story is beautiful and courageous.

[Jesus downing · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's okay😐😐😐