Publishers Weekly Review
With great sensitivity, Warren (Charles Dickens and the Street Children of London) traces the experiences of former congressman Norman Mineta, whose family was forcibly relocated in 1942 during the WWII-era internment of Japanese-Americans. Interweaving historical background, various accounts, and Mineta's first-person recollections, Warren skillfully illuminates what it felt like to be targeted and imprisoned. Mineta's memories range from seeing his father cry after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, to his own pride at the passage of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which apologized for and provided restitution to internment survivors. One powerful chapter recounts the day that future senator Alan Simpson, then a Wyoming Boy Scout, met Mineta in the nearby internment camp; the two remain friends and ardent defenders of constitutional rights. Archival photos throughout are augmented by additional information, multimedia sources, a bibliography, and notes. There are still too few books for youth about U.S. Japanese-American internment, and this affecting volume offers an essential view. Ages 10-up. (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved. |
School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-8-When Norman Mineta was nine years old, he was living with his family in San Jose, CA. Like many boys his age, Norm was interested in baseball, comics, and joking with his friends. But when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, bringing America into World War II, Norm's life changed forever because he and his -family were Japanese Americans. At first there were curfews and FBI searches of Japanese American homes. Then Norm learns that a neighbor was handcuffed and taken away. By connecting Mineta's story to the larger events of World War II and its impact on Japanese Americans, the author helps readers learn about a frightening historical injustice. They and thousands of other Japanese American families were forced from their homes, sent to desolate internment camps, and imprisoned against their will. Using more than 100 photographs and many quotes from Mineta, the author chronicles his family's experiences living in a camp in Wyoming, where he and his family lived in a single room shack, denied their privacy and freedom while being watched by an armed guard. Despite these conditions, we also learn that the family's loyalty to America was unwavering. The author continues the story beyond internment to tell about Mineta's career as a politician, serving 10 terms in the House of Representatives and as a cabinet member for two presidents. It is an inspiring story of character and endurance despite hardships. An important, well-told story. VERDICT An excellent choice for social studies classes, literature circles, and libraries. Extensive back matter enriches understanding of this historical narrative.-Myra Zarnowski, City University of New York © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. |