About This Book
Reach for this book when your child starts asking difficult questions about fairness, historical injustice, or what it feels like to be excluded from society based on who you are. This surreal, dreamlike story uses a time-slip narrative to bridge the gap between the modern day and the painful history of Japanese American internment camps and Indigenous displacement. It is a profound meditation on memory and the shared weight of history. While the book deals with heavy themes of racism and imprisonment, Allen Say's haunting illustrations and sparse text provide a safe, contemplative space for children aged 7 to 12. It does not offer easy answers, but it honors the emotional intelligence of young readers by acknowledging that the past continues to shape our present. Parents will find it a powerful tool for building empathy and discussing the importance of human rights.
