Paper Wishes in Mock Newbery 2026

Feb 17, 2016 Mary Ann rated it really liked it

Heartfelt novel that will speak to many of my students. Manami's pain and grief is palpable.

"I want to explain, but my throat closes tight. Too tight for words to get out. Too tight for air to get in. I run outside to Mother’s garden"

"I sit in the garden and look at what's left of it....
Strong plants.
Plants with deep roots.
Plants that survive." ...more

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Mar 14, 2020 The Reading Countess rated it really liked it

Shelves: middle-grade, historical-fiction, book-club

Farewell to Manzanar for the younger crowd.

Paper Wishes is an important historical information for middle grade readers wrapped in a friendly, yet informational way. I can see this working in my classroom as a literature circle choice, although I felt the writing was pitched too low for the intended age group.

This was my favorite passage:

'"This was a fine garden," Mother says. "Better than the island garden."

I look at Mother, and she must see my surprise. This garden grew tiny tomatoes and cucu ...more

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Apr 30, 2016 Barbara rated it really liked it

Shelves: animals, civil-rights, elderly-characters, teachers, weather, community, read-aloud, travel, cooking, friendship

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Ten-year-old Manami is devastated when her family is forced to leave their Bainbridge Island home and move to an internment camp in California. Moving is hard enough, but Manami's attempts to smuggle the family's beloved dog, Yujiin, with them are unsuccessful, and the dog must be left behind, far from anyone or anything familiar. Traumatized, Manami shuts down completely, refusing to speak and barely eating. Eventually, she finds solace in drawing pictures and sending messages pleading with him ...more

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Feb 09, 2016 Mary Louise Sanchez rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction, underrepresented-cultures, debut-authors

Through beautiful, poetic language the reader journeys from Washington state with ten-year-old Manami and her family as they are sent to Manzanar, a desert internment camp for Japanese and Japanese Americans in California. Manami sneaks the family dog Yujiin in her coat when the family leaves, but it caught and has to abandon it. Her guilt consumes her to the point where she can no longer speak, except through her family and good friend. She also speaks through the written paper wishes she throw ...more

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