Kadohata, Cynthia. Weedflower.

KADOHATA, Cynthia. Weedflower. Read by Kimberly Faar. 4 tapes. 6.33. Listening Library. 2006. 0-307-28580-4. $35.00. Vinyl; plot, author, reader notes. J*

From the KLIATT starred review of the book, March 2006: "Kadohata follows up her Newbery Medal for Kira-Kira with another story from Japanese American history. This novel is about the experiences of a California family in the wake of Pearl Harbor, faced with prejudice and the indignity of being relocated to the Arizona desert. The story opens slowly, introducing 12-year-old Sumiko Yamaguchi, who lives with her brother Tak-Tak, her grandfather, her aunt and uncle and their grown sons in California. The family raises flowers, as do many of their Japanese American neighbors. They keep largely to themselves and their traditions, but Sumiko experiences prejudice firsthand when she is invited to a white classmate's birthday party, only to be turned away by her classmate's mother. The date is Saturday, December 6, 1941. The next morning brings about the total disruption in everything that Sumiko has known. Her uncle and grandfather are sent to a relocation camp in North Dakota while the rest of the family are held in California until they can be sent to Arizona. The camp outside of Poston, Arizona, is dusty and hot; there is no school for the children and the lack of supervision allows them to run wild through the camp. Sumiko, however, makes friends with Mr. Moto and, showing him what she knows, they grow a garden together. Through a growing friendship with a Native American boy, Sumiko learns that the camp is located on Indian land, a comparison that is not lost on the characters ... We experience the camp as Sumiko does, in a matter-of-fact way that makes the events all the more poignant. In the end, it is a haunting story of dramatic loss and subtle triumphs."

Farr's reading is excellent. She uses a great deal of expression in her voice, especially when speaking the dialogue of Sumiko. She does extremely well creating a Japanese dialect for the voices of Sumiko's adult relatives--her grandfather, uncle, and aunt--plus her newfound gardening friend Mr. Moto. Her sensitive reading captures the emotions portrayed in this well-researched, well-written, historically factual tale. Following the endnote the audiobook includes an interview with the author by the director of the recording. It explains the autobiographical aspects of the novel with special emphasis on Kadohata's sentiments about racism, especially as experienced personally when she adopted a boy from Kazakhstan. Carol Kellerman, Libn/Media Spec. (retired), Santa Fe, NM

J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescents and their teachers.

*--The asterisk highlights exceptional books.