A riveting and dramatic story of two devoted sisters, Italian
citizens, who must survive in WWII Japan.
In 1940, when Simona is eight and her sister, Carolina, is five, their
father becomes the cook to the Italian ambassador to Japan, and the
family leaves Italy for Tokyo. The girls learn perfect Japanese, make
friends, and begin to love life in their new home. But soon Japan is
engaged in a world war. In 1943, when all Italians in Japan are confined
to internment camps as enemy aliens, Papà and the girls are forced to
part, and Simona and Carolina embark on a dramatic journey. Anyone who
aids them could be arrested for treason. All the sisters have is each
other: their wits, courage, and resilience, and the hope that they will
find people who see them not as the enemy, but simply as children trying
to survive.
In this gripping, deeply moving story, Donna Jo Napoli gives readers an
unforgettable and authentic new perspective on World War II.