The Japanese American Internment

Gr 6—10—A solid resource for school reports, this straightforward account includes an overview of the events that led up to the signing of Executive Order 9066, which authorized the relocation of Japanese Americans; details about life in the internment camps; and an examination of the long-term ramifications for the Japanese-American community. Information is accompanied by photographs and illustrations in color and black-and-white. A balanced view of the internment is presented, regarding it as a dark period in American history while acknowledging the alternative viewpoints of the time, and even revealing surprising divisions among Japanese-American groups regarding their treatment during World War II. The volume concludes on a thoughtful note, comparing Executive Order 9066 to the Patriot Act of 2001, and inviting readers to examine their conscience regarding their perspective on ethnic groups different from their own. While the author's description of the attitudes toward Muslim Americans after September 11, 2001, would have been strengthened by a source citation, an otherwise extensive appendix with notes and citations for further research on the Japanese-American internment is included. Overall, a good choice for libraries with a need for information on this often-glossed-over part of American history.—Allison Tran, Mission Viejo Library, CA