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.
Topics Sisters. World War II (1939–1945). Survival. Italians in Japan. Twentieth-century Japanese history. Internment camps. Identity.
Lexile 550L
Trim Size 8 3/10" x 5 1/2"
JLG Span Winter
Language English
Rights type Print
Publication date 2020-10-26
JLG Release Date Feb 2021
Minimum grade 6
Maximum grade 8
Reading level Middle
Format Print
Advanced Readers (Grades 6-8)
Advanced Readers
Advanced Readers (Grades 6-8)
For Grades 6-8
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