I would definitely recommend this to a young reader.

The historical details are interspersed with slice-of-life subplots like Piper's crush on a classmate and developing interest in photography, and the book manages to be fun and age-appropriate while bringing home the injustice of Japanese Internment and providing takeaway themes and a message that can easily be applied to contemporary conflicts. Set in the 1940s, late in World War II and following Pearl Harbor, the book follows a middle school-aged girl as she corresponds with her Naval officer brother and moves with her father, a pastor, as he follows his Japanese congregation to their internment camp in Idaho. I loved the Dear America historical journal series growing up and had been looking forward to this one as a quick, light trip down Memory Lane - my expectations were fairly low, as I don't tend to gravitate towards the YA genre or the contrived pseudo-diary format or late additions to an established collection. The thought-provoking themes are supplemented by a comprehensive historical note, photographs, and resources, and an abundance of online activities on the publisher's site.Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA Read more While Cynthia Kadohata's Weedflower (S & S, 2006) explores this infamous period in American history through the eyes of a Japanese-American girl, Piper's convincing narration allows readers to appreciate the dilemma that occurs when individual rights seem to clash with national security. Over the following months, though, she develops an appreciation for her father's courage, and her previous acquaintance with Betty Sato deepens into a close friendship. When her father announces that he and Piper will follow their congregation to the Minidoka War Relocation Camp in Idaho, she is furious that she is being uprooted from her friends and her home. Most of her school friends believe that the Japanese students should be expelled and can't understand why Piper defends them, especially since her brother, Hank, was at Pearl Harbor. Suddenly, families from her father's church are being singled out: the FBI has no qualms about arresting American-born Japanese, and 'No Japs' signs appear in downtown shop windows. She has never found straddling the two distinct communities unusual however, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, her world is turned upside down. Since her mother died when she was a baby, her father, pastor at the Japanese Baptist Church, has raised Piper and her older sister and brother. Gr 58In 1941 Seattle, Piper Davis is a typical 13-year-old in many ways: she enjoys spending time with her friends, listening to big-band music, and walking home from school with the boy she's sweet on.

The Fences Between Us by Kirby Larson