Historical Fiction: Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata

Title:
Weedflower

Bibliographic Information:
Kadohata, C. (2006). Weedflower. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Weekly Requirement:
Historical Fiction

Plot Description:
Weedflower is a historical fiction novel that takes place in Poston, a Japanese internment camp during the early 1940's. It is based on the true story of the Japanese Americans in the camp meeting members of an Arizona Native American tribe. The main character of the story is twelve-year-old Sumiko, a young Japanese American girl who is being raised on a flower farm in California by her aunt and uncle. Sumiko and her family lose everything when they are forced to leave their farm and be sent to an internment camp in Arizona. The camp is located on a Native American reservation, and many of the Native Americans are resentful of the Japanese American presence. Sumiko slow strikes up an unlikely friendship with a Native American boy named Frank. She keeps the friendship a secret until Frank asks to speak to her older brother about irrigation for the reservation. Sumiko's friendship with Frank is challenged when her aunt announces their departure from the camp. Sumiko fears she will lose her friend and tries to find a way to stay in the camp despite the difficult conditions.
 

Quantitative Reading Level:
Grade level 5.3, Lexile 750

Qualitative Reading Analysis:
The book is organized in The organization of the book is chronological. It begins in 1941 and ends about a year later. The story is told in the first person point of view of Sumiko. The language of the book is English, although occasional Japanese words and phrases are spoken by some of the characters. There are both Japanese and Native American cultural references as well as American references.

Content Area:
English, American History

Content Area Standard:
English Language Art. It meets the Grade 5 English Language Art Standard in Literature in Craft and Structure. The two standards it meets are CCSS.ELA-Literacy-RL5.1, explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall structure of a particular story, drama, or poem, and CCSS.ELA-Literacy-RL5.1, describe how a narrator's or speaker's point of view influences how events are described.


Curriculum Suggestion:
I would suggest this for students in the fifth or sixth grade. It is an excellent book for both English and History, especially American History during World War II. I also suggest that it be read during Asian American and Pacific Islander Month

Personal Thoughts:
Weedflower is an incredible book that many teens and tweens will love! The World War II U.S. Japanese internment camps are just now starting to be discussed by mainstream American and Weedflower does an excellent job of telling the story through the eyes of Sumiko, a twelve-year-old who many teens and tweens can relate to easily. Sumiko deals with issues of friendship, family turmoil, racism, and budding feelings for the opposite sex, much like many of the twelve-year-old children of today! Weedflower can be used to teach about dark page in American history in a way that can hold the interest of students!

Awards: PEN USA Awards