Thin wood walls
Thin Wood Walls. David Patneaude; Houghton Mifflin, 2004.
Grade Level: 6-8
Hardback ISBN: 0618342907 $ 16.00
Paperback ISBN: not available at this time
Synopsis:
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Joe Hanada and his family face growing prejudice, eventually being torn away from their home and sent to a relocation camp in California.
General Review:
In this first-person narrative, readers find out what it was like to be a young Japanese American boy in Seattle after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Patneaude reports the facts and shows the wide range of attitudes among Japanese Americans and whites, citizens and immigrants, even among members of one family that makes history the drama. The inclusion of many differing viewpoints within the Japanese-American community makes this book unique. This well-written novel features a main character who grows and develops as historical events unfold. Great companion piece for students wanting to read beyond the Holocaust part of World War II.
Themes: Evacuation & Rolocation, Japanese Americans, Prejudice & Racism, World War, 1939-1945.
Author Information:
Discussion Questions: Standard 3, Benchmark 3
- When the Hanadas are relocated they must pack quickly and can take with them only as much as they can carry. What items would you take with you if you were in a similar situations?
- What are some of the things that the Hanadas do to keep themselves happy and hopeful despite their situation? Why is Mike so anxious to join the army? Which situation do you think is better, the army or the relocation camp? Why?
- What do you think Joe will be doing in ten years? What about Mae or Phillip?
- Why is it important to not forget what happened to the Japanese-Americans during World War II? What can we learn from Joe’s story?
Activities:
- Take a virtual tour through the relocation of the Japanese-Americans during World War II at timmer.org/HISTORY_20/Links/world_war_ii.htm. Standard 1, Benchmark 4 .
- Research the relocation of the American Indians to reservations then compare how they were treated with how the Japanese-Americans were treated during their relocation. Standard 1, Benchmark 2; Standard 5.
- Write a haiku or poem about something that has happened in your life. Standard 4, Benchmark 2.
