Love in the Library
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4.7 • 7 Ratings
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
Set in an incarceration camp where the United States cruelly detained Japanese Americans during WWII and based on true events, this moving love story finds hope in heartbreak. To fall in love is already a gift. But to fall in love in a place like Minidoka, a place built to make people feel like they werenít humanóthat was miraculous. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Tama is sent to live in a War Relocation Center in the desert. All Japanese Americans from the West Coastóelderly people, children, babiesónow live in prison camps like Minodoka. To be who she is has become a crime, it seems, and Tama doesnít know when or if she will ever leave. Trying not to think of the life she once had, she works in the campís tiny library, taking solace in pages bursting with color and light, love and fairness. And she isnít the only one. George waits each morning by the door, his arms piled with books checked out the day before. As their friendship grows, Tama wonders: Can anyone possibly read so much? Is she the reason George comes to the library every day? Beautifully illustrated and complete with an afterword, back matter, and a photo of the real Tama and Georgeóthe authorís grandparentsóMaggie Tokuda-Hallís elegant love story for readers of all ages sheds light on a shameful chapter of American history.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Love blooms in the Idaho desert at the Japanese prison camp called Minidoka in this stirring, compassionate narrative inspired by the experiences of Tokuda-Hall's (Squad) Japanese American maternal grandparents. Employing simple yet evocative language ("Though each camp was different, they were all the same. Uncomfortable and unjust"), the author follows word-loving volunteer librarian Tama as she struggles to name her shifting emotions in the camp, where internees suffer from extreme weather conditions, a lack of privacy—the library window's foremost view of a guard tower offers a constant reminder—and inhumane treatment. "But she could not think of a word that was right. She was scared and sad and confused and frustrated and lonely and hopeful." The constant smiles and companionship of George, the small library's consistent patron, soon prove comforting—and lead to something more. Fluid, dynamic gouache and watercolor illustrations by Imamura (Winged Wonders) spotlight the expressive internees' individualism amid a bleak landscape, immersing readers via era-specific wardrobes and hues. Alongside a sensitive introduction to life in Japanese internment camps, this picture book transcends its central romance to encompass love for books, community, and being "human." Back matter features a striking author's note that provides further context and draws effective contemporary parallels, plus a photograph of the real-life Tama and George. Ages 6–9.
