When a boy struggles after moving to a Japanese internment camp during
WWII, baseball shows him another way to approach life.
Sandy Saito is a happy boy who reads comic books and is obsessed with
baseball --- especially the Asahi team, the pride of his Japanese
Canadian community. But when the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, his life,
like that of every other North American of Japanese descent, changes
forever. His family is forced to move to a remote internment camp, and
his father must spend months away from them. Sandy, his mother and his
brother cope as best they can with the difficulties at the camp. Over
time, Sandy comes to realize that life is a lot like baseball. It's
about dealing with whatever is thrown at you, however you can. And it's
about finding your way home.
In this emotionally gripping graphic novel, J. Torres has artfully woven
a fictional story into a historically accurate, thoroughly researched
account of the events surrounding the internment of Japanese Canadians
during World War II. Using the approachable graphic novel format, the
story of this grave chapter in North American history is gently told
with sensitivity and insight, and the theme of baseball runs through the
story as a message of hope and renewal. The time and place are
evocatively rendered in David Namisato's detailed sepia-toned art. Along
with its links to social studies and history lessons, this book offers a
perfect lead-in to discussions about differences, inclusion and empathy,
and about why this history is relevant today. The book includes extended
background information in an afterword by Susan Aihoshi and resources
for learning more.
