Write to Me: Letters from Japanese American Children to the Librarian They Left Behind

by Cynthia Grady, Amiko Hirao (Illustrator)

A touching story about Japanese American children who corresponded with their beloved librarian while they were imprisoned in World War II internment camps.

When Executive Order 9066 is enacted after the attack at Pearl Harbor, children's librarian Clara Breed's young Japanese American patrons are to be sent to prison camp. Before they are moved, Breed asks the children to write her letters and gives them books to take with them. Through the three years of their internment, the children correspond with Miss Breed, sharing their stories, providing feedback on books, and creating a record of their experiences. Using excerpts from children's letters held at the Japanese American National Museum, author Cynthia Grady presents a difficult subject with honesty and hope.

" A beautiful picture book for sharing and discussing with older children as well as the primary audience" -- Booklist STARRED REVIEW

"A touching tribute to a woman who deserves recognition" -- Kirkus Reviews

"[An] affecting introduction to a distressing chapter in U.S. history and a brave librarian who inspired hope" -- Publisher's Weekly

Genres: Picture Books, History, Nonfiction, Biography, Childrens, War, World War II

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 9, 2018

About the author

Author of Write to Me: Letters from Japanese American Children to the Librarian They Left Behind; I Lay My Stitches Down: Poems of American Slavery; and Like a Bird: The Art of the American Slave Song. Cynthia Grady is a former teacher and children's librarian, who now lives and writes in New Mexico. She's had poems and essays published in literary, library, and educational journals.

Reviews

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a moving little short story this is! I hadn’t realized before I started reading that this is actually nonfiction. The story is about Japanese American children sent from their homes in San Diego to an American internment camp in Arizona during World War II and their correspondence with their beloved home librarian. The librarian is Miss Clara Breed, a remarkable woman who did her best to remain in contact with her young clients, to send them bags of books and other gifts, and to bolster their spirits. She sent them penny postcards so that they could write her back. The story includes quite a few of these cards as well as a several actual photographs.

The story is touching. It does however make me ashamed of my country for its treatment of so many innocent Japanese Americans during that time. So much unnecessary suffering inflicted. Thank goodness for people like Miss Breed who made it her mission to do whatever she could to uplift these innocent children during their time of being unjustly held and treated as criminals.

The drawings are spectacular. I loved, loved, loved the color scheme used by talented illustrator Amiko Hirao. I was also delighted to see the author’s note at the end along with a listed of notable dates in the life of Miss Breed, a short history of the Japanese people in the United States, and a further reading list. I also found out that there is a 288-page novel entitled Dear Miss Breed (by Joanne Oppenheim), a full-length chronicle of the correspondence between Miss Breed and the young internees.

I strongly recommend this 10-minute read for all readers. Let’s never forget those who suffered and especially those who did everything they could to try to mitigate the pain and misery of the innocent victims.

Thank you to my Goodreads friend Lisa Vegan for bringing this story to my attention.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been reading or rereading a number of books about WWII, and some specifically about the shame of the Japanese internment, but I got this book primarily because of Manybooks' enthusiastic review, which you should read for information I won't repeat except to say that this moving book is based on the relationship that was maintained between Clara Breed, a popular San Diego children's librarian and several children who had been doing to her library for books that she had gotten to know. When she saw dozens of children she knew were being "interned" for an indefinite period of time in concentration camps, she gave them postcards to send her, and she kept up this relationship, also sending them books.

When Breed moved to a retirement home, she still had in her possession over 250 letters and cards from those exchanges. We get copies of the letters here, amid lovely sweet illustrations by Amiko Hirao. The book includes notable dates in Clara Breed's life, and authors note, some selected information about the history fo Japanese-Americans, some sources for further reading.

In an author's note we learn that Clara Breed was honored at a reunion of internees children in 1991 in Boston, where many San Diego families lived, and was given a standing ovation from the over seven hundred people for her "kindness, friendship, love, and courage." She died in 1994. Go ahead! Pretend you don't already have tears in your eyes!

This is a fine book that makes me think of how I can work with my library to send books to the children being interned even today at the border.

[Manybooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow! I do absolutely love love love Cynthia Grady's Write to Me: Letters from Japanese American Children to the Librarian They Left Behind. For truly, Miss Clara Breed is (or rather she was) not only a loving, kind and simply delightful person in and of herself, considering that in post Pearl Harbour WWII USA, Japanese Americans were for the most part considered one and all collectively as enemies of the state and potential traitors, Miss Breed asking young Katherine Tasaki and other internees to regularly write to her as well as her handing out bags of books etc. at the train station sending Japanese Americans to their respective internment camps and in full view of gun toting American soldiers at that, this might well have had (in a worst case scenario) some not so wonderful and happy consequences and repercussions for Miss Breed.

However, and on the other hand, the fact that according to the information presented and featured by author Cynthia Grady in Write to Me: Letters from Japanese American Children to the Librarian They Left Behind, Clara Breed was fortunately always seemingly able to without all that much official harassment not only easily and consistently able to correspond with her imprisoned Japanese American former library patrons, to keep sending them books and other necessary supplies but yes indeed, even to pen very much critical articles on how Japanese Americans on the West Coast of the USA were being approached and imprisoned without reason and charge, all that most definitely needs to be seen and lauded as something majorly positive. For yes, if this story had taken place in, say, Nazi Germany and Miss Breed had been attempting to help and support Jewish children, sending them books and even remotely either officially or unofficially complaining about the National Socialist progroms against Jews and anyone with even some Jewish background, this would almost certainly have led at best to Miss Breed being arrested and probably even to her being likely executed as a traitor. But still and nevertheless, even if Miss Breed probably did not ever have to fear arrest and actual danger with regard to her sending books and supplies to interned Japanese American children and regularly corresponding with them, I still do very much consider her a total and utter heroine, as even if she might not have been in actual danger of official sanctions and problems, her critical perspective regarding American policies towards Japanese Americans and that she was being very vocal with and in her criticism and condemnation would more than probably not have been very generally popular (and would likely have massively and totally angered and infuriated many Americans, especially since Clara Breed continued to regularly correspond with Japanese American internees and sought to help them in every way she could).

Accompanied by Amiko Hirao's both descriptive and at times heartbreaking illustrations (as well as archival photographs on the front and back cover pages of Write to Me: Letters from Japanese American Children to the Librarian They Left Behind), not to mention the absolutely wonderful and educational supplemental information that Cynthia Grady has included (a short biography of Clara Breed, multiple informative time-lines, source notes and bibliographic lists for further study and reading), Write to Me: Letters from Japanese American Children to the Librarian They Left Behind is most definitely a shining five star book for me and one that I do most strongly recommend to and for anyone (an informative, educational, relatable and emotional account that not only introduces readers gently but firmly and with adequate and necessary criticism to the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII but also celebrates and portrays the life of a courageous woman, fetes a caring, compassionate and yes brave librarian who did all she could to help support Japanese American internees, to make their unreasonable and unacceptable imprisonment by the American government less inhumane and more liveable).

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well I knew I was in Patricia Polacco style trouble when I almost teared up reading the inside front cover, and I was near to emotional tears all the way through this book.

I’ve read a lot about the internment of people of Japanese ancestry during WWII, but this was a new part of the story for me. So heartwarming and good to know a person like Clara Breed existed and was there as much as she could be for the children who had used her library prior to their imprisonment.

The illustrations are lovely and I appreciated the included photos. It sounded as though the letters and postcards are in existence so I wish images of even a few of them had made it into the book. The slight story was well told and is a good introduction to what happened to people of Japanese ancestry during the war. I did thoroughly enjoy the book proper and I loved the extras at the end: an author’s note, a list of notable dates in Clara Breed’s life, a selected history of the Japanese people in the United States, Source Notes, Selected Bibliography, Further Reading, and Photo credits.

This is an excellent book for young people and adults too. It grabbed and held my attention and I really liked it. 4-1/2 stars

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picture book tells of librarian Miss Breed and how when she heard that Japanese children who used her library were being sent to internment camps, gave them stamped postcards to stay in touch. When she started to receive postcards from the children she sent books and other small gifts to make their life more bearable. We see snapshots of the childrens lives through their postcards and the back pages contain information and photographs. A really lovely story, especially the end notes and photograph of a reunion with some of the children decades later.

One thing I found really frustrating was that not a single one of the postcards was shown. If they couldn't have been used in the story I would have loved to have seen a couple of examples in the back. An inspirational story and one I knew nothing about until reading this book.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish everyone could read this book. It is so powerful and its message is still very needed today. It is a story of prejudice and unfairness and cruelty, of kindness and generosity and friendship, and of the power of the written word, of letters and stories. It is beautiful and moved me to tears. So vital never to forget the atrocities committed against the Japanese-Americans during WWII. Nor to forget the kindness of Miss Breed in providing the imprisoned children (her former library patrons) with books and friendship across the miles and the great divide the government tried to place between them. And her bravery in writing articles and trying to raise awareness of the cruelty inflicted upon the Japanese-Americans . The book also includes an illuminating timeline and bibliography in the back. And photos of the children and families forced to relocate are so poignant.

As a personal note, being from Northern California, this tragedy happened right in my backyard, albeit far before I was born. Yet, I feel it touched me personally because, in his later years, my grandfather attended a church that was founded by Japanese-Americans who had farmed the area and been interned during WWII and he became very close friends with several of them. So hard to believe that, once upon a time, the government would have made them "enemies" (at the time of the war my grandfather was in Ohio, little realizing the atrocities being committed against his future friends in California.) Heartbreaking to hear the stories these people told. Heartwarming to witness the lives they rebuilt. And that they did not let the experience embitter them. Their church is so joyful, accepting and welcoming, constantly striving for inclusion for all persons and passionately involved in serving the community. It was an honor to know, even briefly, some of these remarkable people.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A powerful book. I've been to Manzanar twice (before and after the visitor center was built) and every time I visit, or read books like this, I cry. I know that most families did manage to rebuild their lives, and that there are so many atrocities still going on, but the imprisonment of children in this recent history, and our inability to learn from that event, hits me hard. I hope this beautiful book helps us finally reform our attitudes towards people who 'look like the enemy.'

[Gary Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The internment of innocent Japanese-Americans during World War II is one of our country’s darkest self-inflicted bruises. Among those imprisoned were Japanese-American children from San Diego whose local librarian, Ms. Clara Breed, sent them away with books and stamped postcards so the children could stay in touch with her. As Ms. Breed received postcards telling her where the children were being held, she sent more books and more postcards, heroically maintaining correspondence with dozens of children throughout their plight.

Cynthia Grady’s nonfiction picture book Write to Me: Letters from Japanese American Children to the Librarian They Left Behind is a remarkable testament not only to Ms. Breed but also to how the power of reading and writing can sustain us in difficult times. Young readers will relate to the children who are presented with sensitivity by illustrator Amiko Hirao as we see them reading their books and writing to Ms. Breed: “The youngest children wrote to Miss Breed about what they saw around them. The older children wrote about their living conditions and how they spent their days.”

Write to Me is an excellent window into an episode of American history too important to forget, expertly developed for children. In addition to Grady’s accessible text, Hirao’s drawings are realistic enough to foster empathy for the children without delving very far into the rawness of being torn away from their homes. Most page spreads include renderings of some of the brief notes written to Ms. Breed allowing readers to experience the postcards as primary texts. The book’s endpapers feature photos of Japanese American children traveling to and living in prison camps. Thorough back matter includes historical background on the internment program, Clara Breed’s life, “Selected History of Japanese People in the United States,” source notes, bibliography, and suggestions for further reading.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Given today's political climate, especially concerning the internment of asylum seekers and immigrants on our southern border, this book is quite timely.

The world should never forget the atrocities committed against the Jews and other targeted groups in the death camps and concentration camps run by the Nazis.

But America has also rounded up groups of people based solely on their ethnicity and imprisoned them in concentration camps. Sadly, the current administration continues to do so.

Our shameful treatment of Japanese citizens during WWII should not be swept under the rug and this book goes a long way toward informing the next generation about our own misdeeds.

The illustrations, "done on Canson Mi-Teints white paper with Faber Castell pencils"evoke an older time and show the resilience of the imprisoned, but what I found to be even more powerful were the black-and-white photographs included on the endpages.

The author included a note that explains more about the topic, an abbreviated timeline of both Ms. Breed's life and historical events for Japanese people in the United States, source notes, a selected bibliography, and suggestions for further reading at the end of the book.

This book was featured as one of the selections for the March 2019 - Outstanding Women-themed reads for the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.

I'm glad that it was selected, as I'm not sure if we would have discovered it otherwise.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Using the letters of real children, author Cynthia Grady tells the story of Clara Breed, a Euro-American librarian working in the San Diego Public Library in 1942, when her Japanese-American patrons were interned by the United States government. Determined to keep in touch, Breed gave many of the children she served penny postcards, telling them to write to her. She saw them off at the train station, visited them in Arcadia, California - where they had been taken temporarily - and wrote back and forth, once they were sent to a camp in Poston, Arizona. She sent books, and other necessaries - but most of all she sent (and received) words. Long afterward, at a reunion of Poston survivors, her kindness was remembered and applauded by the children who had been imprisoned by the own country, but not forgotten by their local librarian...

Although I have read other books about the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II - my introduction to the subject came in Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston's memoir, Farewell to Manzanar , which I read as an adolescent - I had never heard of Clara Breed, before picking up this poignant work of picture-book history. I'm glad to have that gap in my knowledge filled, as I found her story, and the stories (however abbreviated) of the children who wrote to her, immensely moving. Grady's book is a timely reminder that even when governments do unjust things, even when we feel we have little impact on the larger events transpiring around us, we as individual citizens still have a choice to do what is right, and remain true to our humanity. Clara Breed's actions weren't limited to acts of kindness toward the children of a persecuted minority, in a time of war, they also included public, written criticism of government policies to which she objected. That this criticism could be found in the pages of The Horn Book Magazine, one of America's longest established periodicals for the review and discussion of children's books, makes me particularly happy, as I am a strong believer in the potential that children's literature holds, as a means of encouraging tolerance, and positive social change.

Informative, and emotionally resonant, Write to Me is an important addition to the body of children's books addressing the internment of Japanese-American citizens during World War II. The text is powerful, including as it does the snippets of actual letters, and the artwork by Amiko Hirao is lovely, in an impressionistic way that ably captures the emotional impact of each scene. Recommended to anyone looking for stories related to this subject. It can be paired with picture-books about the actual experiences of interned children, such as Baseball Saved Us , by Ken Mochizuki, or Home of the Brave by Allen Say. Also recommended in this line is the lovely picture-book, Naomi's Tree , by Joy Kogawa, which illustrated that (sadly) the internment of people of Japanese ancestry also occurred in Canada.

[Baby Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!

Hello, friends! Our review today is Write To Me: Letters From Japanese American Children To The Librarian They Left Behind, written by Cynthia Grady and illustrated by Amiko Hirao, a moving true story from one of the darkest moments in American history.

Librarian Clara Breed’s young patrons come to turn in their library cards; she provides them stamped postcards in return. “Write to me,” she says, “and tell me where you are.” It’s WWII, and they are being forced into imprisonment by the US government for being of Japanese descent. Through the letters, Clara learns of the children’s lives: sleeping in deplorable conditions in internment camps, suffering extreme weather and limited food. Clara sends them books, school supplies, and always more postcards. She writes newspaper articles of protest and letters to politicians to demand funding and care for the detainees. After three long years, the children and their families are released, with no homes or businesses to return to. But at least, for Clara Breed’s young patrons, they have a loyal friend to see again.

By the fourth page of this book, I was openly sobbing. The tragic and infuriatingly unjust treatment of the Japanese-American detainees is brought to devastating reality by the excerpts from the actual postcards to Clara Breed. Reading the children’s words as they describe their inhumane conditions is heartbreaking, as is their emphatic thanks for the small kindnesses Clara provided. The art is delicate and soft, yet illustrates the bleak, uncertain lives the children led. The length is fine, though this one is best for slightly older bookworms who can understand the weight of the material. Please, read this book. Read it and discuss it with your children. It celebrates a good person we should know, and remembers a shameful event we should never forget. Baby Bookworm approved.

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book arrived for me at the library today, the day the US Supreme Court upheld the travel ban and as children are detained in this country far from their parents. It infuriates me that we interred Japanese families and we continue to judge and exclude people based on the race, nationality, and religion. This book shines a light on a a horrible period in US history and how one person tried to make a difference to those locked up. We need to keep the lights shining. I hope we will learn from past mistakes.

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This brought tears to my eyes. The postcards pictured in the book describing the conditions are heartrending. (1 shower, 1 laundry room for 16,000 people...) Describes how a Children's Librarian in Sand Diego kept in touch and did what she could for her Japanese patrons when they were imprisoned. During the 3 years the Japanese were imprisoned approximately 30 children corresponded with her writing 250 letters and postcards. Clara Breed was the honored guest at a 1991 reunion for Japanese Americans imprisoned in Poston, Arizona.

Inspiring, and unfortunately all too relevant with the Trump administration's no tolerance policy and separation of children and parents. May we all step up like Ms. Breed.

[Jeani · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a heartwarming true story about a children's librarian at the San Diego Public Library who put stamped postcards into the hands of her Japanese-American patrons being sent to internment camps. Soon enough, children and families began to write. Librarian Clara Breed keeps in touch with the writers, visits them at the camp, and mails boxes of books for the children to read. This book is beautifully illustrated, informative, and a wonderful story.

[Barb H · Rating 5 out of 5]

(This is my second attempt to write a review. The first has disappeared into cyberspace.)

My Good Read Friends know that I rarely award 5 stars to books, but after much contemplation I realized that I could do no less for this little tale. The author has presented a difficult, but important part of our US history to children. She has also honored the "Miss Breed" of this story. The conclusion of this short offering contains a chronology of the life of this amazing woman. The reader can also view the history of the abuse, racism and general unfair treatment of Japanese Americans and other Asian people in the acknowledgements.

The little letters throughout are actual copies of those written to the children's beloved and attentive librarian during their internment during WW II. I have read many books and articles, both fact and fiction, of this period. Although the brevity of this book does not spell out the entire dilemma, it certainly should be enough to stimulate some thinking by the younger generation. I think that in today's political climate with immense problems toward immigrants valuable lessons can be learned.

Addendum: It pleased me and warmed my heart to view all the praise and the stars given to this book in our community reviews. All so well deserved- of course!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This important book is a BATTLE OF THE BOOKS book. It is non-fiction about a librarian named Mrs. Breed, in San Diego, who kept in touch with her young patrons who were imprisoned in Japanese internment camps. Librarians are like that! They care about their patrons! At the end of the book are the historical artifacts that back up the story. There is a special adult reunion picture of Mrs. Breed along with Louise Ogawa and Katherine Tasaki Segawa who are two of the children featured in the book. We learn a lot about the conditions of the children from the words they use in writing their letters. I used this title for READ ACROSS THE COMMUNITY, 2023.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This nonfiction picture book tells the true story of a librarian who stayed in touch with the children she served even after they were moved forcibly away. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Japanese Americans were sent to prison camps. As a librarian in San Diego, Clara Breed served many children of Japanese descent. Before the children left, she gave them books and postcards to correspond with her. While they were gone, she continued to send them small things, even visiting once and delivering boxes of books. The children wrote to her during the three years they were gone as she offered them a way to stay connected to the outside world.

This book shows the Japanese internment in a way that children will understand. The letters shared in the book are excerpts from actual children’s letters written to Miss Breed during this time. They reflect the different ages of the children, their focus on everyday moments and their strong connection to books and their librarian. It is a book that shows how importance and life changing kindness is.

The illustrations are done in pencil on paper and have a softness and glow to them. They do not shrink from showing the desolation of the internment camps and the sorrow and fear of those being placed in them.

A very timely nonfiction book that will show young readers a horrific point in American history and how just one person can make a difference. Appropriate for ages 6-9.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great picture book biography about the power and difference libraries and librarians can make in patron's lives.

[Alex Baugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the entry of the United States into WWII, this country, the country that was fighting for freedom and democracy aboard, did a terrible thing to some of its citizens. It began when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942, an order that authorized the internment of over 100,000 Japanese American citizens, including men, women, and children, as well as any resident aliens from Japan.

Write to Me is the story of one San Diego librarian, Clara Breed, who saw the injustice of incarcerating innocent people and whole families and tried to make it somewhat bearable for her young library patrons. Grady begins with the sad moment when young Katherine Tasaki has to return her books and relinquish her library card. Later, seeing the children she knew from the library off at the train station, Miss Breed gave out books and stamped postcards for the kids to write and let her know how and where they are and if they needed anything.

Soon, the postcards Miss Breed had give out began to arrive at the library from [Santa Anita Racetrack] Arcadia, California. She began writing the kids, sending them boxes of books and more postcards. On weekends, she visited and brought even more books. After seeing the kinds of conditions her young friends were being subjected to and the enjoyment the books she sent gave them, Miss Breed began writing letters and magazine articles asking for libraries to be opened in the internment camps for the kids to have easier access to reading.

Miss Breed continued to correspond with the kids she knew even after they were moved to the Poston Internment Camp in Poston, Arizona, in the middle of the desert. She also continued sending books, as well seeds, thread, soap, and crafts materials. Learning about the harsh conditions they lived with everyday, Miss Breed continued to write letters and magazine articles, hoping to make the country aware of how its citizens were being treated.

Write to Me is a picture book for older readers who are just beginning to learn about this period of American history and while it focused on Miss Breed's actions more than on the actual treatment of the Japanese American families she tried to help or the pervasive racism towards them, it does show young readers that one person can really make a difference in the lives of others. I think that's a message that will certainly resonate for them in today's world.

Interestingly, the focus of each of Amiko Hirao's gently muted color pencil illustrations is reflected in the postcard excerpts sent by the children that are found on almost every page.

There is extensive back matter, including an Author's Note, a recounting of Notable Dates in Clara Breed's Life, Selected History of Japanese People in the United States, a Selected Bibliography, and suggestions for Further Reading. The front and back end papers contain relevant captioned photographs.

Though it is for a somewhat older child, with scaffolding teachers might want to pair this with I Am An American by Jerry Stanly, for a more rounded picture of Japanese American internment camps.

The Japanese American National Museum has an online collection of letters written to Clara Breed from her young patrons incarcerated in internment camps, including Katherine Tasaki. You can read them HERE

One of the magazines Clara Breed wrote articles for was the Horn Book Magazine and you can read one of her articles "American with the Wrong Ancestors" published July 7, 1943 HERE

This book is recommended for readers age 6+
This book was purchased for my personal library

Clara Breed wrote another article in Jan/Feb 1945 issue of the Horn Book Magazine, which is not online but I found it in the library. The article is "Books That Build Better Racial Attitudes" and while it is really dated, I was curious to see what she recommended. One of the books is called The Moved-Outers by Florence C. Means, about the internment of a Japanese American family, and may very possibly be the first book about it. It was also a 1946 Newbery Honor book. I actually read it when I was researching my dissertation, but ultimately didn't use it, except as an example of patriotic propaganda. I'm definitely going to have to reread it one of these days.

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great tribute to Clara Breed, a children's librarian in San Diego, who became a champion of the Japanese children in her area, writing them letters when they were forced to relocate to interment camps during WWII, and visiting them on at least two occasions. This book, with great illustrations, shows several of the letters written by the children to Ms. Breed. Ms. Breed went on to author several articles about the interments, and also published a history of the San Diego Public Library system.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do think this is well done, but I'll admit that I'm biased here. I worked at the same system as Miss. Breed did and I'm proud to have a link with this heroine. Miss Breed wasn't about to loose touch with the little girls and boys who had filled the library just because an unjust law was moving all the Japanese Americans to gathering points then to concentration camps. The book starts with a conversation with a young girl who turns in her library card and library books. Miss. Breed gives her a stamped postcard and tells her to "Write to me". She kept up a correspondence with the kids and sent them things ranging from toothpaste to more postcards to books. She even went to visit them at the camp most were sent to, bringing more books, etc. although guards were present and she wasn't allowed to touch or hug any of the children. The kids made it clear when returning the stamped postcards that she had made a huge difference to them. After the war, few returned to San Diego since they had no connections to the town any more since all property was stolen from them. Many kept in touch for a lifetime. When there was a reunion in San Diego, Miss. Breed was the guest of honor.

The main supervisor I had at the system remembered Miss. Breed. She was a Lady in the old fashioned sense of the word: very formal (always referred to as Miss. Breed, never by her first name), correct, diligent in the job, and expected the same from people under her. She became Director of the system after the War. The post cards tell what poor living conditions the camp inhabitants endured: one shower for thousands of people, etc. However, they were not systematically tortured and killed as in Hitler's concentration camps. It seems as though the camp inhabitants tried to keep a positive view about things which is rather mind blowing, considering the injustice done to them! Nonetheless Miss. Breed was a genuine heroine. I'm certain she'd be visiting any kids she knew being kept apart from their parents right now by the trump regime. At least the Japanese American kids weren't separated from their families!

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book on a couple of levels. The first is that it tells the heartwarming story of librarian Clara Breed and her kindness to her young Japanese patrons who were forced into internment camps. The bond between the children and the librarian was so meaningful.
The second is the way this book talks about the forced relocation in a very factual way. Referring to them as prison camps rather than internment camps, it doesn't soften this horrible episode in American history, but tells it for what it was in a way that is appropriate for children.
Add in beautiful, soft, colored pencil illustrations and this is a must have book for your school library.

[Stefanie Foard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic book to introduce children to the Japanese internment in America. Beautiful illustrations as well. This made me proud to be a librarian and proud of this sweet lady's heart.

*I read a digital ARC of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

The internment and mistreatment of Japanese Americans during WWII has always bewildered and incensed me. This true story connects kids not only to this sad part of American History, but also highlights a brave American woman who did something to help alter a horrendous situation.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It feels really wrong to say I "really liked" this story. I appreciate that this story is being told.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I expected a more powerful story of connection. This seems an inadequate portrayal of Mrs. Breed and the suffering of the Japanese.

[Y.S. Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

World War 2 is a popular subject in books, games, and movies. A large proportion of its aspects have been examined and explored - the effects of food, propaganda, weather, weapons, etc have been scrutinised and theorised. Even the exploits and vices of countries involved have been looked at and dissected over and over. However, there still remains few details of that war, especially the consequences, that is not well-known and popular for various reasons.

ABOUT THE BOOK
In any case, Write To Me by Cynthia Grady and Amiko Hirao is a book (albeit for 4 to 8 year olds) that looks at the treatment of Japanese-Americans at the hands of Franklin Roosevelt-led American government during World War 2.

The bombing of Pearl harbour prompted the American government into sending all Japanese-Aameircanfamilies into prison camps for the duration of the war. The rationale was the fear that the Japanese-American communities might have spies reporting to the Japanese government. As a result of this thinking, Japanese-American properties were seized and everyone, including children, where sent to prison camps to live with minimum food and comfort.

Write To Me by Cynthia Grady and Amiko Hirao is a story told from the perspective of children writing to their librarian, telling her of daily inconveniences and thanking her for the books she keeps sending to them.

Write To Me is based on real life and the story of Clara Breed, a librarian in San Diego who advocated for Japanese-American children during the war and kept exchanging visits and letters with them, including sending them books.

CONCLUSION
The book explores the love of reading and the life of the librarian who cared enough to keep looking out for children who shared her love of books and have been unjustly segregated.

Write To Me by Cynthia Grady and Amiko Hirao is an insightful book, exploring a marginalised aspect of history. It is an eye-opener for children and adults and shows how the love of literature transcends races and backgrounds.

Write To Me is published by Charlesbridge Publishing. Many thanks to them for the review copy.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 3 out of 5]

This nonfiction picture book tells the story of how a librarian stayed in touch with Japanese American children while they were in interment camps during World War II. It is very simple, and includes illustrations of the children's letters along with depictions of the librarian's surroundings and the camps that the children were in. This is a good introduction for elementary school students, but is light on content for an adult reader.

I have two concerns with this book that keep me from rating it four stars. One is that it unnecessarily includes a letter that references "Little Black Sambo." The child's comment merely serves as an illustration for the heat, but this is likely to catch parents off guard and require a conversation that they didn't sign up for. Since the book is about combating discrimination, it seems odd that one of the letters included would reference a story with so much racial baggage. Surely, out of the whole collection, there would have been something else more appropriate.

Secondly, the timeline in the back specifically names three Democrat presidents who were involved in future reevaluations of the interment camps, but does not name Ronald Reagan for the timeline entry about the U.S. government finally apologizing for what happened. This seems to be nothing more than bias on the author's part, since it breaks with her format and approach. Also, she only refers to an apology, without mentioning that the U.S. government actually paid reparations to many survivors. This is a very significant fact, and even though not all readers will look through the timeline anyway, the author should have included this.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

First sentence: Katherine Tasaki returned a stack of books and turned in her library card. "We've got to move soon," she said, "All Japanese, you know."

Premise/plot: Write to Me is a historical picture book highlighting a fantastic librarian, Clara Breed, and her ongoing relationship and service to Japanese children in internment camps during the second world war. It is told from the perspective of children whose lives she touched.

My thoughts: Years ago I read a LOVELY, LOVELY nonfiction book for middle grade and young adults called Dear Miss Breed. It was a magical, magical read that I just loved. I didn't own it and I read it as part of Texas Woman's University's Librarians' Choices book list. I participated in choosing those 100 books for seven years. I doubt I'd be a blogger if it wasn't for that experience and fellowship. But I am making this WAY more complicated then it needs to be.

Long story short, this is a LOVELY picture book. I would definitely recommend it to readers of all ages.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10

[Arminzerella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clara Breed was a librarian in San Diego during WWII. When her young Japanese patrons were relocated to internment camps, she gave them postcards and encouraged them to write to her. Their letters helped her learn about their situation/conditions in the camps, and she was able to send them books and other items (soap, seeds, etc.) during their incarceration. She was even able to visit. This picture book is a gentle introduction to this troubled time in US history and includes excerpts from the letters that Miss Breed received. She saved them - over 250 letters - and later gifted them to one of the girls who had written to her during the war. A lovely and uplifting biography/historical work. Includes author's note, and timelines of Clara Breed's life, and the history of Japanese immigration in the United States, as well as a bibliography and sources for additional information.