January 1, 2019
An act of kindness during World War II still resonates today as a boy reaches out to a girl whom the government does not consider a suitable or loyal American citizen.The United States has entered World War II, and Sam's class in Los Angeles is knitting socks for soldiers. Unfortunately, Sam cannot get his knitting needles to work properly as he tries to knit for his older brother, who is fighting overseas. Frustrated, he rejects an offer of help from his neighbor and classmate, Keiko, a girl of Japanese descent. Keiko is taunted and her father's flower store is vandalized, and then the family is sent to an internment camp. Sam and his parents are sympathetic--as Jews they understand persecution--and his mother offers to keep safe Keiko's mother's treasured tea service. When Keiko leaves her bike with Sam, she includes knitted socks for Sam's brother. It is then--finally--that Sam comes up with a most neighborly gesture: He will knit a scarf for Keiko because desert nights can be cold. Carefully, stitch by stitch, he finishes his project. The illustrations, in browns, greys, and reds, focus on the faces of the characters and express their frustrations, fears, and concerns. The author's note briefly explains both President Roosevelt's 1942 Executive Order and the 1988 Civil Liberties Act. A gentle and accessible story of tolerance during a war overflowing with racial and ethnic intolerance. (author's note, photographs) (Picture book. 5-8)

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May 1, 2019
In this WWII home front-set picture book, a boy's class is knitting socks for U.S. soldiers overseas, though Sam, the frustrated protagonist, is skilled only at tangling his wool into knots. Keiko, an expert knitter, is his classmate and neighbor; she's been ostracized since President Roosevelt had declared war on Japan in December. Keiko repeatedly extends kindnesses to Sam, but he ignores her despite the fact that his older brother, Mike, off fighting in the war, was consistently friendly to her. Before Keiko's family is sent to an internment camp, she leaves Sam a note, her bike, and a pair of hand-knitted socks for Sam to send to Mike, with a note telling Mike to come home safely. With a shift to a slower narrative pace?and with Malaspina's text mimicking the rhythm of the knitting needles ( Click. Clack. Click. Clack )?Sam determinedly makes a scarf to mail to Keiko, the phrase come home safely taking on a new meaning for him. Many of the illustrations, rendered in earthy browns and cool grays and blues, are framed by a border, making the art look like vintage photographs, an apt choice for this work of historical fiction. Appended with an author's note about Los Angeles's Boyle Heights and Little Tokyo neighborhoods ( where Jews and Japanese Americans lived side by side and attended schools together in the early decades of the 20th Century ); photos from the time period; and information about internment camps, including the U.S. government's later acknowledgment of the grave injustice of the camps. julie Danielson

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2019
During WWII, Sam and Keiko's class is knitting socks for U.S. soldiers. Before Keiko's family is sent to an internment camp, kindly Keiko leaves behind a note and a pair of hand-knitted socks for Sam's soldier brother. Sam (whose family is Jewish) determinedly makes a scarf to mail to Keiko in return, the phrase come home safely taking on new meaning for him. Many of the border-framed illustrations aptly look like vintage photographs. Appended with information about internment camps.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)