Monday, October 13, 2014

The Cat who Chose to Dream by Loriene Honda - ADVISABLE

Honda, Loriene  The Cat who Chose to Dream, illustrated by Jimmy Tsutomu Mirikitani  PICTURE BOOK. Martin Pearl Publishing, 2014.   $17.99. Content: G. 

Jimmy the Cat was sneaked into the internment camp with his Japanese family during World War II.  The dry, hot, desert is depressing and the guards are frightening.  Jimmy escapes into dreams and draws upon the emblems of peace and strange from his culture in order to survive those harsh years in the camp.  

While the words are Honda’s, the pictures were drawn by Mirikitani, a prisoner at the Tule Lake camp from ages 21 to 25.  His art was not only part of his nature, but a way to express his feelings about life in the prison.  Excellent messages about enduring uncontrollable situations and creating resilience.  Any school that teaches art or about WWII could use this title.

EL, MS, HS - ADVISABLE.
Cindy - Library Teacher 

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