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Aleutian Sparrow
Based on the true story of the Japanese invasion of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska in the summer of 1942, a young Aleut girl tells what life was like when her small home of Kashega was taken over and she, along with her family and community, were put into internment camps in her own country. 50,000 first printing.
156 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 226 reviews
December 31, 2020
. . . our home is a necklace of jewels around the throat of the Bering Sea.
This is our third read-aloud of a Karen Hesse book this year, and each experience has been almost identical: I, the mother, have learned something new, and my girls, the intended audience, have yawned in boredom.
The backs of Ms. Hesse's books claim for “Ages 10-14,” but not one of them has engaged my 10-year-old. And, when I read this line tonight (from page 54), “Always green curtains smothering us,” my 12-year old grumped, “Like this story's smothering us.”
Oh, dear.
These books have not appealed to my preteen daughters, and they have rated each one of them “three stars,” which is basically the kiss of death at my house.
So, to be fair, I'm informing you, as a parent, that we're not having a lot of success with this author.
And, yet. . . I learned a lot here! I had NO idea that the Japanese attacked Alaska's Aleutian Islands in June of 1942, and I had NO idea that the Aleutians were forced to evacuate their homes for three years. Nor did I have any idea how ignored and mistreated they were.
This is an upsetting and informative book. It imparted a lot of information in a mere 156 pages. But, the characters are unformed and the story often feels flat.
So, it was useful to me, and boring to my girls. I will contribute that my 12-year-old looked at me at one point and said, “Mom, the racism in this world is sickening to me,” so this experience wasn't without merit, but it's not as though we've had a shortage of middle grades reads about racism this year.
Yes, the treatment of the Aleutians is pretty soul crushing. I'll leave you with the prose poem in the that really got under my skin:
Prisoners Of War
Somewhere nearby, we hear, is a camp for German prisoners of war.
They are well fed, we hear.
They have cots and blankets, every last one. They have room to stretch their long legs. And good sanitation and an infirmary.
They are provided a clean, safe place to live, a variety of foods, and recreation. They are not expected to contribute in any way to their keep.
We are citizens of the United States, taken from our homes.
We did nothing wrong, and yet we get little to eat and no doctoring, and our toilet is an open trough washing into the creek.
No seats,
Just a run of water flowing in at one end, flushing waste out the other.
The German prisoners and the flies think our
government has devised a very good system.
This is our third read-aloud of a Karen Hesse book this year, and each experience has been almost identical: I, the mother, have learned something new, and my girls, the intended audience, have yawned in boredom.
The backs of Ms. Hesse's books claim for “Ages 10-14,” but not one of them has engaged my 10-year-old. And, when I read this line tonight (from page 54), “Always green curtains smothering us,” my 12-year old grumped, “Like this story's smothering us.”
Oh, dear.
These books have not appealed to my preteen daughters, and they have rated each one of them “three stars,” which is basically the kiss of death at my house.
So, to be fair, I'm informing you, as a parent, that we're not having a lot of success with this author.
And, yet. . . I learned a lot here! I had NO idea that the Japanese attacked Alaska's Aleutian Islands in June of 1942, and I had NO idea that the Aleutians were forced to evacuate their homes for three years. Nor did I have any idea how ignored and mistreated they were.
This is an upsetting and informative book. It imparted a lot of information in a mere 156 pages. But, the characters are unformed and the story often feels flat.
So, it was useful to me, and boring to my girls. I will contribute that my 12-year-old looked at me at one point and said, “Mom, the racism in this world is sickening to me,” so this experience wasn't without merit, but it's not as though we've had a shortage of middle grades reads about racism this year.
Yes, the treatment of the Aleutians is pretty soul crushing. I'll leave you with the prose poem in the that really got under my skin:
Prisoners Of War
Somewhere nearby, we hear, is a camp for German prisoners of war.
They are well fed, we hear.
They have cots and blankets, every last one. They have room to stretch their long legs. And good sanitation and an infirmary.
They are provided a clean, safe place to live, a variety of foods, and recreation. They are not expected to contribute in any way to their keep.
We are citizens of the United States, taken from our homes.
We did nothing wrong, and yet we get little to eat and no doctoring, and our toilet is an open trough washing into the creek.
No seats,
Just a run of water flowing in at one end, flushing waste out the other.
The German prisoners and the flies think our
government has devised a very good system.
April 15, 2022
This slim volume, written in luminous free verse, tells the story of the Aleutian Evacuation during WW II.
Hesse’s novel follows one young teen, Vera, and her friends and family as they struggle to make sense of what is happening, to survive the hardships and to adapt to a life none had ever imagined. The beauty of the work is that Hesse can convey so much in so few words. Here is one page…
KETCHIKAN CREEK
When Eva returns from Ketchikan, she says
The creek there is like a woman
Dressed in a filmy green gown,
Her lace pockets spilling with leaping salmon.
Despite the hardships, there is room for love and faith. Babies are born and cherished. Christmas is celebrated. Still, the sense of loss is palpable. I will be thinking about this novel and the Aleutian Evacuation for a long time.
I had never heard of this episode in the USA’s history. Shortly after the Japanese attacked Attu Island in June 1942 (an attempt to distract the US Navy away from the South Pacific), the government decided that it would be “best” for the Aleutian natives living on the islands to be evacuated “for their protection.” Nearly 900 Aleuts were removed by the US government from nine villages on six islands and forcibly transported to Southeast Alaska “duration camps.” Most were given little more than an hour to collect their necessary belongings, for a trip to an unknown destination, for an unknown length of time. People used to a subsistence living, were deposited in old canneries, or mining camps, without adequate shelter, sanitation, water, food, medical care or any means to support themselves. While the Japanese left the islands by 1943, the Aleuts were not allowed to return to their homes for three years. The deplorable conditions they endured resulted in epidemics of TB, pneumonia, whooping cough and other disease; over ten percent of them died during internment. Those who did return to the islands found that their homes had been destroyed and/or ransacked … not by the Japanese, but by American military troops.
I learned all the above by doing some research after reading this novel. But I certainly gathered clues and a feeling of the injustice suffered by the Aleuts during this time.
Hesse’s novel follows one young teen, Vera, and her friends and family as they struggle to make sense of what is happening, to survive the hardships and to adapt to a life none had ever imagined. The beauty of the work is that Hesse can convey so much in so few words. Here is one page…
KETCHIKAN CREEK
When Eva returns from Ketchikan, she says
The creek there is like a woman
Dressed in a filmy green gown,
Her lace pockets spilling with leaping salmon.
Despite the hardships, there is room for love and faith. Babies are born and cherished. Christmas is celebrated. Still, the sense of loss is palpable. I will be thinking about this novel and the Aleutian Evacuation for a long time.
I had never heard of this episode in the USA’s history. Shortly after the Japanese attacked Attu Island in June 1942 (an attempt to distract the US Navy away from the South Pacific), the government decided that it would be “best” for the Aleutian natives living on the islands to be evacuated “for their protection.” Nearly 900 Aleuts were removed by the US government from nine villages on six islands and forcibly transported to Southeast Alaska “duration camps.” Most were given little more than an hour to collect their necessary belongings, for a trip to an unknown destination, for an unknown length of time. People used to a subsistence living, were deposited in old canneries, or mining camps, without adequate shelter, sanitation, water, food, medical care or any means to support themselves. While the Japanese left the islands by 1943, the Aleuts were not allowed to return to their homes for three years. The deplorable conditions they endured resulted in epidemics of TB, pneumonia, whooping cough and other disease; over ten percent of them died during internment. Those who did return to the islands found that their homes had been destroyed and/or ransacked … not by the Japanese, but by American military troops.
I learned all the above by doing some research after reading this novel. But I certainly gathered clues and a feeling of the injustice suffered by the Aleuts during this time.
May 1, 2008
Written in poetry, this book tells the forgotten story of the forced relocation of Native Alaskan tribes during WWII. Not many Americans realize that Japanese soldiers invaded American soil, off the coast of Alaska, during WWII. For the native inhabitants of those islands, the invasion began a long ordeal of poor living conditions and discrimination.
Told through the voice of a teenage Aleut girl, the story is informative, compelling, and simultaneously heart-breaking and heart-warming.
I highly recommend this quick read.
Told through the voice of a teenage Aleut girl, the story is informative, compelling, and simultaneously heart-breaking and heart-warming.
I highly recommend this quick read.
June 18, 2008
Karen Hesse has created a very poignant novel.
I was pleased with the form of writing, terse vignettes bring a type of transcendence of the mundane, spotlighting the daily activities and subsequently infusing the prosaic with meaning. An example of this would be the use of descriptions of the preparation of meals.
The writing style being focused and simple fits the form perfectly. The free verse form has an interesting effect when used to describe a story of multiple years.
The author writes about what needs to be shown, each verse is free from distraction. These verses create a resonant procession of events which are strongly linked and are complimentary to creating a powerful historic narrative.
I was impressed with the way the author kept the use of the protagonist’s reflections consistently in the service of expressing the effects of dislocation so that a broad human experience is portrayed. Many simple details of daily life were described.
The book had a map
and illustrations at the chapter breaks, which are immediate aids to setting context for readers.
There could be reaction to the idea that soldiers are being cast in a poor light.
I did not see a threat toward a historical perspective of the military or a significant change in social perspective of the military.
This story is one book of many that students will read. The description of the role of the military is a small portion of the book. The government, any government agency, city government or the cities of Ketchikan and Wrangell are only mentioned on about 30 of 156 pages.
To ease students in this mindset I could first ask students to describe the most common elements of the story, if the portrayal of the military is mentioned and through questioning students expressed their anger at the military or anger at the writer tempering the discussion with positive precedents in each case. With the writer examples of the positive aspects of the writing and likewise positive aspects of the military.
As much of the book is about nature as it is about war.The choice of settings in time and space are striking and unique. As well as the view of nature held by the protagonist,
“Around our crowded camp, everywhere we turn green life rubs its moss skin against us. The air steams green, and always the sound of dripping. Always the smell of rot. Always green curtains smothering us. On the Aleutians there are no trees.” (p.54).
I was pleased with the form of writing, terse vignettes bring a type of transcendence of the mundane, spotlighting the daily activities and subsequently infusing the prosaic with meaning. An example of this would be the use of descriptions of the preparation of meals.
The writing style being focused and simple fits the form perfectly. The free verse form has an interesting effect when used to describe a story of multiple years.
The author writes about what needs to be shown, each verse is free from distraction. These verses create a resonant procession of events which are strongly linked and are complimentary to creating a powerful historic narrative.
I was impressed with the way the author kept the use of the protagonist’s reflections consistently in the service of expressing the effects of dislocation so that a broad human experience is portrayed. Many simple details of daily life were described.
The book had a map
and illustrations at the chapter breaks, which are immediate aids to setting context for readers.
There could be reaction to the idea that soldiers are being cast in a poor light.
I did not see a threat toward a historical perspective of the military or a significant change in social perspective of the military.
This story is one book of many that students will read. The description of the role of the military is a small portion of the book. The government, any government agency, city government or the cities of Ketchikan and Wrangell are only mentioned on about 30 of 156 pages.
To ease students in this mindset I could first ask students to describe the most common elements of the story, if the portrayal of the military is mentioned and through questioning students expressed their anger at the military or anger at the writer tempering the discussion with positive precedents in each case. With the writer examples of the positive aspects of the writing and likewise positive aspects of the military.
As much of the book is about nature as it is about war.The choice of settings in time and space are striking and unique. As well as the view of nature held by the protagonist,
“Around our crowded camp, everywhere we turn green life rubs its moss skin against us. The air steams green, and always the sound of dripping. Always the smell of rot. Always green curtains smothering us. On the Aleutians there are no trees.” (p.54).
June 17, 2008
My first impression of this book was that it appeared to be an easy read. However, the writing style is too sketchy. The author’s switching from log style observation to romantic poetic style description is distracting and a serious interruption to the flow of the story. The author relinquishes any responsibility for historical accuracy by stating that it “is a work based on true events.” The author does not state which events these are, so further research would have to be done by the reader to separate fact from fiction. The character of Vera can be related to on a general level in her displacement from her home. However, her character lacked depth. While the author used some actual events and maybe interviewed Aleutians for this story, there is still a superficial quality to this work that simply capitalizes on a bad and sorrowful situation.
March 26, 2019
4.5 stars
There is a group of indigenous people who live in a string of islands where it sits on, according to Wikipedia, both the US and Russian territory, called Aleutian. The story presented by Ms Hesse is something that happened to them during WW2 in 1942-1945. It follows Vera, an Aleutian teenager in the time where hers & 4 other village were relocated into a forest. The reason was to ensure the safety of the people from Japanese attacks.
Just imagine, a group of people that grew up & live their entire life at the shore, with the sea & its creature was 'force' for 'safety' to a dense forest. They had to survive starting from zero knowledge of the environment, without proper facility & prejudice of the neighboring village. There were kind souls who helped but they only could give, they couldn't promise survival. And even after the war ended, they still need to get permission to go back to their own home. What's left of their village was devastating...
"Our very culture stolen or destroyed, not by the enemy, but by our own countrymen."
"WorldwideOur government spends large sums of money to place lives back together.
No money is spent here.
War leaves ugly scars."
The story is a fiction based on a true events. Told in verses makes it a quick read. I was surprised that this book has not win any award at all with the message that it trying to tell.
June 18, 2008
I like this book well enough and think that it would be a good addition to a WWII unit or poetry unit. It would also be a good way to introduce poetry and perspective. Children are more willing to write poetry when they find out that it doesn't always have to rhyme or be a specific length However, in a school setting some background knowledge would I need to provide lots of discussion time for students to work out the complex issues of intolerance, persecution, and feeling of sorry that book evokes. On the positive side this a book that you could read in class in about a week, mabey even less is you read it to the class yourself. I think this would be a great read to do for 10-15 minutes a day.
March 13, 2011
This is the fictionalized account of the true event during World War II when the U.S. government relocated thousands of residents of the Aleutian Islands to the forests in southeast Alaska as told through the eyes of a young girl, Vera. They remained there for three years, and one in four died. This book should be included in any study of World War II as much as study is given to the relocation of Japanese, which has been given more attention. I never knew of this relocation or its effect on the Aleutian people. It is told by Hesse in lyrical verse, each page its own poem, usually short and with its beginning written in a kind of inverted paragraph style. Her imagery for nature was unique and breathtaking. I love trees and that environment and would likely not eagerly live in an environment without them, yet Hesse does just that: as Vera, yearns for the sun, the fog, the wind, the ocean and its inhabitants and all the native plants that are a part of her culture and grows angry with the shade and wetness of the trees, the lack of sun that are their relocation camp, I began to miss her home too, fear the damage the relocation is doing to them as a people, as a culture. As one poem states at its end: "How many times can a people lose their way, before they are lost forever?" An abundance of metaphors and similes saturate the text and would be an excellent mentor text to students ages 10 and up who are studying the use of such imagery in their writing.In fact, though, that strength was also at times its weakness for me: I as the reader could get caught up in the magical wording of her metaphors and similes and not pay as much attention to the gravity or melancholy or pain that she is writing about.
June 18, 2008
I think this is a great book to use in conjunction with a social studies lesson about WWII. The story of the Aleutians is not one commonly addressed in education, so it is a good way to show the marginalized accounts of some groups. It also offers a great basis for comparison regarding the treatment of others and the "persecution" some experienced at the hands of governments. I would not use it without background knowledge of both the time period and the people first. I also do not...more I think this is a great book to use in conjunction with a social studies lesson about WWII. The story of the Aleutians is not one commonly addressed in education, so it is a good way to show the marginalized accounts of some groups. It also offers a great basis for comparison regarding the treatment of others and the "persecution" some experienced at the hands of governments. I would not use it without background knowledge of both the time period and the people first. I also do not think that I would also not use the entire text, but perhaps sections from it. It is easy to read, it offers a minority perspective that is often marginalized, it is something my students might be able to redly relate to.
On a literary note, it is unique in its style. It is historical fiction written in pros. I might be a good point to introduce the students to the genre and the subject.
On a literary note, it is unique in its style. It is historical fiction written in pros. I might be a good point to introduce the students to the genre and the subject.
June 17, 2008
This book is a good resource to incorporate with in a unit on WWII because it presents a culture that isn't one that is usually discussed, or known about. I am not saying that time should be spent reading the entire book, but a few key poetic versus to show what the Aleutian people went through would be helpful. Also being that is is historical fiction it would allow the students to learn about this occurence in a more interesting way. With a read aloud of just a few of the poems it may spark some of your students interest to perhaps read it on their own for fun, or during the course of studying poetry. As a preservice teacher it was helpful for me to see that there are books like this that can be used in a varetiy of ways with in the classroom. This book is suitable for around 6th through 8th grade, maybe 5th depending on your students. My first impression after finishing the book was that I really didn't like it, then through our class discussion it made me gain a better appreciation of this book.
June 18, 2008
The historical content included in this book was very eye opening and interesting. If poetry interests you this is an excellent choice that will keep you entertained as well as informed. Hesse uses short precise stanzas and vivid descriptions which come together to create an interesting, thought provoking read.
As a teacher, if I incorporate this book into my curriculum I will use it as a segway or compliment to some other lesson. Possibly with a unit on WWII to offer other perspectives on the war, or to stimulate ideas for a writing assignment (a creative piece or a research paper) but I feel it leaves too many holes, questions, and inquiries to be simply left alone and not manipulated. The style of writing leaves a lot of room for interpretation from the reader which offers up a ton of possibilities for assignments and follow ups which make it worthwhile in the classroom.
As a teacher, if I incorporate this book into my curriculum I will use it as a segway or compliment to some other lesson. Possibly with a unit on WWII to offer other perspectives on the war, or to stimulate ideas for a writing assignment (a creative piece or a research paper) but I feel it leaves too many holes, questions, and inquiries to be simply left alone and not manipulated. The style of writing leaves a lot of room for interpretation from the reader which offers up a ton of possibilities for assignments and follow ups which make it worthwhile in the classroom.
June 18, 2008
Aleutian Sparrow is a historical fiction novel that illustrates the experiences of the Aleutian people when they were removed from their homeland after it was bombed by the Japanese during World War II. The novel, which is written in free verse and is narrated by a fourteen year old girl named Vera, takes one through the upheavals, the heartache, and the perseverance of her people in a time of uncertainty and desperation. The text is filled with images that bring light to the brutal experiences of the Aleutian people, tugging at ones emotions and leaving one wondering about the real experiences and story of the Aleutian people. Although the poems are filled with elegant detail, they tend to leave a lot to the imagination and can again leave one wondering about the actual events and experiences the tribe went through during their relocation
August 24, 2014
A beautifully written story told from the eyes of a native Aleutian teen. Adding yet another layer to the horrors of war is the little known fact about the travesties that haunted and scarred the small chain of islands off Alaska's coast called the Aleutians. In 1942, the Aleutian Islands were attacked by Japan. Vera and her family are forced to move to from their land, where they made seal-gut pants, could capture cod with their hands and gather grass for fires and medicine to a dirty, inhospitable camp. In the camp they wait for three long years through death, disease and persecution for the US Government to let them return to the home that bombs and US soldiers have destroyed. I enjoyed the historical relation to the story and appreciated that Hesse told the story in such a beautiful emotive way. I felt the pain and longing of Vera through the poetic language.
June 18, 2008
This historical fiction book provides another perspective about WWII and the relocation of the native Aleutians. This story is told from the perspective of a fourteen year old girl, written in free verse. Aleutian Sparrow is a quick read and the poems are well identified to tell the reader what they are about. In addition, Karen Hesse provides the reader with a map at the beginning to give the reader an idea of where the Aleutian Islands are located.
This book offers itself for many lessons, such as American government, English focusing on poetry or even a lesson about seeing different perspectives. This book helps grab students’ attention and engage them into further exploration about history or poetry.
This book offers itself for many lessons, such as American government, English focusing on poetry or even a lesson about seeing different perspectives. This book helps grab students’ attention and engage them into further exploration about history or poetry.
May 30, 2010
This book was highly recommended by my Goodreads friend, Cherylann as a follow up to Out of the Dust which is a special favorite of mine. Hesse does such a great job of capturing the essence of history and she does not disappoint in this book. As a result of the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the distrust of Japanese, they gentle Aleuts were forced to relocate to inhospitable lands, boredom, loneliness and death from disease. This free verse novel truly captured the mistakes that history makes distrusting its own people and making them the enemy. The Aleuts spent years yearning for their home and families, only to return and find homes destroyed and families torn apart. A must read for anyone who loves free verse novels and historical fiction.
April 5, 2021
This has been in my to be read list for sometime, thank you to my sister for continuing to ask me if I had read it yet. Had to interlibrary loan this book but will buy a copy for our home since it is hard to find.
This book is by Karen Hesse, probably most well known for Out of the Dust. This book is also a book in verse and follows the native Alaskan people who were evacuated from the Aleutians Islands during the Japanese Bombing of WW2.
I always love books that teach me about something I have never heard before, and the evacuation of these island people to inland Alaska for 3 years was something I have never heard about. Their story is heartbreaking but I felt that Hesse told their story to help preserve it. Will be passing this on to my girls and it is a great WW2 tie in.
This book is by Karen Hesse, probably most well known for Out of the Dust. This book is also a book in verse and follows the native Alaskan people who were evacuated from the Aleutians Islands during the Japanese Bombing of WW2.
I always love books that teach me about something I have never heard before, and the evacuation of these island people to inland Alaska for 3 years was something I have never heard about. Their story is heartbreaking but I felt that Hesse told their story to help preserve it. Will be passing this on to my girls and it is a great WW2 tie in.
June 15, 2008
This book was a great use of perspective. Written in all poems, which was fantastically done, it shows the point of view of the Aleutian people who were taken from their home by their government, American government.
This book would be great when learning poems, or when learning about different perspectives and teaching children to be skeptical about what is in their History books.
Will be most useful if paired with an American governement article showing the government's view of them moving these people. Did they omit the troubled times and just focus on the fact that they "saved" their people from the casualites of war?
This book would be great when learning poems, or when learning about different perspectives and teaching children to be skeptical about what is in their History books.
Will be most useful if paired with an American governement article showing the government's view of them moving these people. Did they omit the troubled times and just focus on the fact that they "saved" their people from the casualites of war?
June 17, 2008
This is a book that offers a different perspective of a critical historical event. It allows one to see a minority group whose experience has been marginalized. it is written in poetry form, the verses are not consistent and can either leave a lot to the imagination or provide an incomplete story. I think it depends on what you are looking at using the book for and what style you like to read. If you want to give the students an opportunity to look at perspectives or poetry, excellent choice. It allows one to see that poetry is ver powerful and so is their voice. But if I wanted to use it for WWII I would provide more background support...
June 16, 2008
This book is written in poetry form from the view of Vera, a young Aleut girl. It takes place during WWII when the Aleuts were relocated to camps in Alaska. This was because the Japanese invaded the Aleutian islands.It shows some of the stuggles Vera and the other people had to go through during this time. It gives another perspective on WWII, and connects to the reader on an emotional level. It also touches on other issues the Native American groups were facings at the time. I liked that it was written from the view of a girl because I think younger readers can relate more to the character.
November 14, 2018
Aleutian Sparrow by Karen Hesse provides a window into the emotions of the Aleutian people as they were evicted and displaced from their ancestral homeland. The free verse story is told from the point of view of a young woman. The experiences of the Aleutian people are captured in Karen Hesse's writing. This book provides a great insight into the suffering, confusion, agony, and homesickness of this people. The free verse writing style allowed for a lot of emotion to be expressed on each page. It really allows the reader to try and connect to the situation and everything that took place.
June 18, 2008
This book has many excellent ways it can be applied to lessons and thematic units. It can be easily added to reading groups and book clubs during WWII units. In addition to all the possible application to its concrete time period and setting, this book can be coupled with class discussion and exploration into the power of intolerance, misunderstanding, and the command to remain authentic, and true to one’s self in the wake of sorrow, disease and a family dismantelling.
June 18, 2008
This is a very good Historical Fiction book. There are many different spots that can be turned into a good lesson about some less talked about subjects during the world war. I think this is a nice was a introduce this to the children. I also think that this book would work well with some sort of compare and contrast with the Diary of Anne Frank. These are very similar books and I think you could make many references to each. Very good book here.
February 5, 2016
I think this book was interesting because it was about the
Japanese. Also it was because they went to Alaska as again
a refugee. She got evacuated because of all of the war that
was happening. So this book was also interesting because
they were at a city in Japan. Also this book was very interesting
because it felt like it was real because that actually happened in
real life they brought over refugees to where ever it was safe. So
it was a really good book.
Japanese. Also it was because they went to Alaska as again
a refugee. She got evacuated because of all of the war that
was happening. So this book was also interesting because
they were at a city in Japan. Also this book was very interesting
because it felt like it was real because that actually happened in
real life they brought over refugees to where ever it was safe. So
it was a really good book.
June 18, 2008
This is a really short book wrote in poetry form that is really good to show this style of writing and poems. Through out the book it talks about people and distortion by other people and makes kids think about what else we are missing. It is a historicla fiction book, but provides great inofmation that can be taught in a week and be tied to history, writing, geography and reading.
June 15, 2008
This is a wonderfully written story about the Aleutian tribe, told through a young girl's point of view. She has many struggles with mother and within herself about staying true to her Aleutian tribe's way of life, or adapting to the way of life she was forced into when she and her tribe were involuntarily evacuated from their Alaskan island.
June 16, 2008
It is good book for connecting social study and literature such as World War II, or Native American history. I recommend that before reading book, you can see the map of Alaska islands, or bring picture in your class. it is help for understanding this book very well.
This book is like diary which is written poem, so it is easy to read; children do not get stress to read even ESL learners.
This book is like diary which is written poem, so it is easy to read; children do not get stress to read even ESL learners.
June 16, 2008
This is a WWII story told by a young girl about the Aleutian tribe and their relocation. The story depicts the struggle of the tribe as they try to keep their heritage and community in unfamiliar environments.
June 5, 2014
I do love Alaskana, even though it's often a difficult, sad, and trying history. Hesse has an amazing ability to share such a rich history in such few words. Though this is actually fiction, there is so much truth.
June 15, 2008
This book is told through a series of poems. It is the story of Vera who lives on the Aleutian Islands off of Alaska during WWII. She is forced to leave everything she knows.
September 24, 2011
Close to the trudging end. Not sure I'll persevere. Good idea, just not compelling enough writing.
Update... very disappointing. Too light and not much there after so many pages. :(
Update... very disappointing. Too light and not much there after so many pages. :(
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