Children of Manzanar

Gr 5–8—After the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, President Roosevelt authorized the incarceration of thousands of Japanese Americans. This extraordinary collection of photographs and personal recollections documents the experiences of children and teens at one of those relocation camps. Offering an intimate look at various facets of camp life, this account addresses the breakdown of the family unit; games and pastimes; schooling; major life events such as weddings, births, and funerals; and the Manzanar Children's Village, which housed orphans. Concise introductions to each section provide historical context, while most of the text is composed of quotes from those who lived in Manzanar as youths, telling their stories in their own words. Much of this material comes from the Manzanar National Historic Site's archives and oral-history collection, remarkably appearing in print for the first time. These brief memoirs are thoughtfully arranged alongside pictures, including images from renowned photographers Ansel Adams and Dorothea Lange, that offer a poignant view of young people making the best of a life in imprisonment. A touching epilogue introduces ongoing efforts to preserve Manzanar's history, and a thought-provoking appendix examines the complexities of the changing terminology used to describe the incarceration (e.g., "Relocation Center" versus "concentration camp"). This volume will strike a chord with readers who can relate to the stories of people their own age struggling to thrive in dire circumstances.—Allison Tran, Misson Viejo Library, CA