The Bracelet / Yoshiko Uchida and Joanna Yardley

Yoshiko Uchida's children's book The Bracelet is a wonderfully written narrative that is both a pleasant story to read as well as an informative historical lesson concerning the Japanese Americans that were affected during the 1940s. Uchida's book uses the main character, Emi, to show how several Japanese Americans were stripped from their normal lives and normal living conditions and were shipped to "camps" to stay because of America's involvement in World War II.

In The Bracelet, Emi's friend, Lauren, gives her a bracelet before Emi is forced to leave her home and go with her family to a strange location to live. Thinking that the bracelet will be her connection to her old life, Emi swears to never take it off. Unfortunately, she loses the bracelet, but soon realizes that it is her memories and not a material possession that will keep her connected to how wonderful her life used to be before the war.

The Bracelet is not only a wonderful children's book, but also a wonderful history lesson for parents to share with their children. This book allows parents and teachers to share the horrible effects Japanese Americans had to deal with during World War II; the book also offers a follow-up page at the very end that shares how the government, several years later, tried to recompense these Japanese American citizens.

Yoshiko Uchida has written several children's book, and many of these books focus on Japanese American culture. Some of her most noteworthy children's books are A Jar of Dreams and The Best Bad Thing. This novel, The Bracelet, was based on Uchida's own experiences during World War II.


Nate Smith

Resource:

Uchida, Y. (1993). The bracelet. New York: Philomel Books.