J. Torres

children's graphic historical fiction (Japanese-Canadian family from Vancouver is sent to a prison camp after the attack on Pearl Harbor, but reclaim some of what they lost through baseball).

*reviewed from uncorrected e-galley via netgalley*

Very readable and relatable history lesson for kids, should have no problem finding an audience. I've read other children's graphic fiction books on this topic before but this is the first one that takes place in British Columbia (a lesser-known show more history).

Also recommended: Kiku Hughes' Displacement, and George Takei's They Called Us Enemy. show less

Genies that grant every wish as mischievously as possible, a dad with a secret superhero identity, an archaeologist mom with an evil Nazi nemesis. A little too much for most children's books, but business as usual for Alison Dare.

I got this from LTER thinking it was a graphic novel in the usual sense (well, usual lately). It turned out to be a collection of three Alison Dare adventures, bundled together in one book. In style, they're more like old-fashioned kiddy adventure comic books. Which show more was fine, once I got used to the notion. I did feel as if I came in during the middle of the story, and had a hard time sorting out who was who. In spite of that, I think it would be great, especially for reluctant readers who want a rip-roaring time.

Clearly drawing on the Indiana Jones trope of adventure (even down to the title font and certain lines of dialogue) Alison Dare never pretends to be anything but itself, a farfetched but utterly entertaining romp with over the top villains and equally over the top heroes.

http://bloodyyank.blogspot.com/2010/06/book-review-alison-dare-little-miss.html show less

Sandy's family lives in Vancouver, BC, where he enjoys watching the Japanese baseball team, Asahi, with his dad, and playing catch. But after Japan bombs Pearl Harbor, everything changes. In particular, his father who is a doctor, is away from home more often, treating Japanese patients who have been relocated. He tells the family that he is going where he is "most needed" and that the increasingly tenuous situation facing them "is only temporary." But all Sandy wants is to be able to play show more catch with his father again. When the family is relocated to a prison camp with other Japanese Canadians, it is baseball that makes things bearable. An affecting and poignant portrayal of the unjust internment of Japanese Canadians; a strong addition to classic and contemporary works about this period in history. Backmatter includes historical notes on the internment in Canada and Japanese baseball in North America. show less

andy and his family, Japanese Canadians, experience hatred and incarceration during World War II.

Sandy Saito loves baseball, and the Vancouver Asahi ballplayers are his heroes. But when they lose in the 1941 semifinals, Sandy’s dad calls it a bad omen. Sure enough, in December 1941, Japan bombs Pearl Harbor in the U.S. The Canadian government begins to ban Japanese people from certain areas, moving them to “dormitories” and setting a curfew. Sandy wants to spend time with his father, show more but as a doctor, his dad is busy, often sneaking out past curfew to work. One night Papa is taken to “where he [is] needed most,” and the family is forced into an internment camp. Life at the camp isn’t easy, and even with some of the Asahi players playing ball there, it just isn’t the same. Trying to understand and find joy again, Sandy struggles with his new reality and relationship with his father. Based on the true experiences of Japanese Canadians and the Vancouver Asahi team, this graphic novel is a glimpse of how their lives were affected by WWII. The end is a bit abrupt, but it’s still an inspiring and sweet look at how baseball helped them through hardship. The illustrations are all in a sepia tone, giving it an antique look and conveying the emotions and struggles. None of the illustrations of their experiences are overly graphic, making it a good introduction to this upsetting topic for middle-grade readers.

An emotional, much-needed historical graphic novel. (afterword, further resources) (Graphic historical fiction. 9-12)

-Kirkus Review show less