Japanese American history is remembered every year because of the attack on Pearl Harbor that took place in 1941.
Several years ago, I used this event, and the Japanese Internment, as the subject of a middle grade novel called The Lucky Baseball.
Teachers loved using this book in the classroom. Even though it is a novel, I tried to accurately depict Japanese American history from the viewpoint of a middle grade child.
But I’m afraid it is now out of print and even used copies are difficult to find (I know because several teachers and parents have emailed me asking how they can get copies of the book).
Here is an excerpt of a review at karencioffiwritingforchildren.com:
“The Lucky Baseball brings WWII history to life in an engaging and enlightening middle-grade story.
On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked the United States military base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The surprise attack shocked Americans and a deep fear that Japan would launch a full scale attack on American home land grew. President Franklin Roosevelt immediately entered the United States into WWII.
Out of the growing fear, bordering on hysteria, that the American borders were at risk, in February 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066. The Lucky Baseball is a fictional account, through the eyes of a 12-year-old boy, of what Executive Order 9066 meant for Japanese-Americans.”
See you soon!
P.S. Click Here for an article about other children’s book genres.
