Children's book that discusses Japanese internment period. Read in the 90s. POV from girl and boy.

[Lisa]

The book is from the POV of a Japanese-American boy and his neighbor who is a white girl. There's a scene where the authorities come and wreck the house and arrest the family. The boy has some chapters from his POV at the camp and the girl has chapters from her POV on the fallout at home. Reads kind of like Number the Stars.

Definitely older, read in the 90s but very likely printed much earlier.

[E.]

I'm not familiar with Number the Stars, and this may not be it, but what you're describing could be Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson? Published in 1994.

[Rainbowheart]

Are you sure it was a boy and a girl?

If it could have been two girls, The Moon Bridge might fit.

[Lisa]

E. Mockler wrote: "I'm not familiar with Number the Stars, and this may not be it, but what you're describing could be Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson? Published in 1994. [bookcover:Snow Falling on Cedars|77..."

No, mine was a children's/middle school book but thank you.

[Lisa]

Rainbowheart wrote: "Are you sure it was a boy and a girl?

If it could have been two girls, The Moon Bridge might fit."

Google Books had a 30-page preview and it didn't read it familiarly. I think it was a first-person narrator, not third person.

[Rainbowheart]

It's weird because there are almost no books from that time period with Japanese American boys. There are a ton about girls, though.

There's The Journal of Ben Uchida, but I can't find mention of a girl co-narrator.

When in the '90s did you read it? Could it have been as late as '99?

[Lisa]

Rainbowheart wrote: "It's weird because there are almost no books from that time period with Japanese American boys. There are a ton about girls, though.

There's The Journal of Ben Uchida, but I can't fi..."

Not 1999, this was likely to be 1992-1996, though I remember it more specifically as 1994.

[Rainbowheart]

Cassie's War?

[Lisa]

Rainbowheart wrote: "Cassie's War?"

Wow... that seems really close. I was just about to add a note that I remember it being short and taking place in California. Cassie's War is 94 pages so it seems like it fits the bill. I wish I could find an excerpt but that seems pretty dang close.

Thank you!

[Rainbowheart]

You're welcome!

I couldn't find any online previews, unfortunately, but there are copies available for purchase online. You can also try your library, if it's open.

Did you want us to move this to Solved or Possibly Solved?

[Lisa]

Yes, possibly solved please. Thanks-

[Kris]

Perhaps ask the publisher Fireworks Press about Cassie's War by Allan M. Winkler (https://www.rfwp.com/book/cassies-war)?