Weedflower is the story of a twelve-year-old Japanese-American girl named Sumiko living in the 1940s during World War II. Sumiko is the only Japanese girl in her school, and she has very few friends. But Sumiko finds comfort with her family and their garden. Sumiko's entire world is turned upside down as a result of Pearl Harbor. Even though Sumiko was born in America and had never been to Japan, she and her family are forced into an interment camp, because everyone believes they are spies. Sumiko soon learns that she is just as unwanted in the internment camp, as she was at home. The reason Sumiko is so unwanted is because the internment camp she is forced to live in was built on a Mohave reservation. As Sumiko learns this she tries to befriend a Mohave boy in an attempt to feel less unwanted.
This is a really great book about World War II, and how the American public turned on Japanese-Amercans because they were Japanese. It shows the discrimination they faced and how they chose to deal with being outsiders. Sumiko never really let being an outsider stop her from doing what she liked, and it is important for children to know they can follow their dreams even if it's not the norm.
This book seems like a really good one to have a discussion with the kids about breaking the norm. Some students feel trapped or pressured by certain stereotypes. These students might be able to find a connection with this book and be able to break free of it. It also seems like it has an important lesson on WWII.
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds so interesting! It's a great history lesson for children to learn about the discrimination in America at that time. It also shows that, sometimes, people that you share nothing in common with become your friends. I think it would be great to read to a class, especially if there is a new student, because that student probably feels out of place and alone.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like an interesting book. It was so sad what happened to the Japanese during their internment. I think this would be a great book to talk about civil rights as well as WWII. Thanks for the great post
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great book! this is a part of history that I know a lot of Americans do not like to think about because everyone in America knows we messed up big time sending them to those camps. This sounds like a great book that I would love to read in my class or have my students read because it is history that needs to be learned and this is really interesting way to learn it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful book!This history seems to be forgotten or not talked about it comes to the WWII unit. It seems like a great read to talk about civil rights and WWII.
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