By turns devastating and uplifting, a powerful testament to the human will to survive—and thrive.
A Japanese American girl from Hawaii is stranded in 1941 Hiroshima on the eve of the U.S. entry into World War II.
Amy’s parents have sent her to Japan alone to visit her ailing great-grandmother, whom she’s never met, though she’s heard family stories of her daring exploits as a pearl diver. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Amy is distraught, unable to return home. Drawing parallels between past and present, Amy’s great-grandmother looks back to 1879, when Japan annexed the Ryukyu Kingdom, based in Okinawa. Though afraid, she “survived. And thrived”—and she emphasizes that Amy, too, must persevere, even as she’s conscripted and forced to translate U.S. radio messages into Japanese. Her understanding of identity, loss, and belonging is further strained when she learns that her family has been imprisoned by the U.S. government. As 1945 approaches, readers familiar with the atomic bombings will be anxious to learn of Amy’s fate. Smith shines a spotlight on the lesser-known history of Japanese American “strandees,” with Amy’s story mirroring aspects of figures like Iva Toguri D’Aquino and Tomoya Kawakita, both forcibly conscripted and seen as treasonous. Norrie’s gracefully composed, blue-toned illustrations heighten the emotions. Wordless scenes convey the horrors of the bombing; the titular pearl is a beautifully executed symbol of hope, survival, and life that also reflects Amy’s struggles with her identity as Japanese and American.
By turns devastating and uplifting, a powerful testament to the human will to survive—and thrive. (Graphic historical fiction. 10-18)Pub Date: Aug. 20, 2024
ISBN: 9781338029437
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
A beautifully executed victory lap for a beloved series.
An origin story for the man who provides wisdom and a sense of cohesion for the young runners who star in Reynolds’ celebrated series.
Years before Coach guided the members of the Defenders through hurdles on and off the field, he was a 12-year-old boy known as Otie. Otie’s a gifted runner, though impulsive (as his mother says, “Your body’s fast, but your mind don’t always move at the same speed”), and he’s thrilled to learn that the scout who helped his idol, Carl Lewis, make it to the 1984 Olympics four years ago will be arriving soon to assess the talent on his team. His loving parents encourage him—and do their best to keep him away from the influence of the Clippers, a gang that sells drugs in his predominantly Black neighborhood. When his father, who’s frequently away for work, returns with a gift of Jordans, Otie is even more excited, but the cherished sneakers serve as the catalyst for learning difficult truths about his father. Reynolds does a remarkable job of using pop culture references—from Michael Jackson to Back to the Future—to establish a sense of time and place. As always, his command of language is masterly, with crackling dialogue, propulsive plotting, and adroit characterization: Readers will emerge with a rich portrait of the forces that created the man whose mentorship would have a powerful effect on so many young people.
A beautifully executed victory lap for a beloved series. (Historical fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Oct. 14, 2025
ISBN: 9798347102372
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Caitlyn Dlouhy/Atheneum
Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
Brava!
From award winner Telgemeier (Smile, 2010), a pitch-perfect graphic novel portrayal of a middle school musical, adroitly capturing the drama both on and offstage.
Seventh-grader Callie Marin is over-the-moon to be on stage crew again this year for Eucalyptus Middle School’s production of Moon over Mississippi. Callie's just getting over popular baseball jock and eighth-grader Greg, who crushed her when he left Callie to return to his girlfriend, Bonnie, the stuck-up star of the play. Callie's healing heart is quickly captured by Justin and Jesse Mendocino, the two very cute twins who are working on the play with her. Equally determined to make the best sets possible with a shoestring budget and to get one of the Mendocino boys to notice her, the immensely likable Callie will find this to be an extremely drama-filled experience indeed. The palpably engaging and whip-smart characterization ensures that the charisma and camaraderie run high among those working on the production. When Greg snubs Callie in the halls and misses her reference to Guys and Dolls, one of her friends assuredly tells her, "Don't worry, Cal. We’re the cool kids….He's the dork." With the clear, stylish art, the strongly appealing characters and just the right pinch of drama, this book will undoubtedly make readers stand up and cheer.
Brava! (Graphic fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-545-32698-8
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2012
SEEN & HEARD
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