Gaijin: American Prisoner of War

Reach for this book when your child is feeling caught between two worlds or is beginning to ask deep questions about fairness and national history. It is an essential choice for children navigating multiracial identities or those who have experienced exclusion. The story follows Koji, a boy who is treated as an enemy in his own city because of his Japanese heritage, and then as an outsider in an internment camp because of his white mother. Through cinematic graphic novel panels, the book explores intense themes of racism, belonging, and the search for identity during World War II. It is ideal for middle schoolers (ages 10 to 14) because it handles complex social injustice with a realistic but accessible lens. Parents will appreciate how it uses a specific historical tragedy to teach broader lessons about empathy, self-worth, and standing tall when others try to define you.