''Weedflower'' is a 2006 American children's historical novel by

Cynthia Kadohata Cynthia Kadohata (born July 2, 1956) is a Japanese American children's writer best known for her young adult novel ''Kira-Kira'' which won the Newbery Medal in 2005. She won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature in 2013 for ''The ...

, the author of the award-winning ''

Kira-Kira ''Kira-Kira'' is a young adult novel by Cynthia Kadohata. It received the Newbery Medal for children's literature in 2005. The book's plot is about a Japanese-American family living in Georgia. The main character and narrator of the story is a g ...

''. The cover photography of the first edition is by Kamil Vojnar. The story is set in the United States during World War II and told from the perspective of 12-year-old

Japanese-American are Americans of Japanese ancestry. Japanese Americans were among the three largest Asian American ethnic communities during the 20th century; but, according to the 2000 census, they have declined in number to constitute the sixth largest Asia ...

Sumiko. A 6.5-hour-long

audiobook An audiobook (or a talking book) is a recording of a book or other work being read out loud. A reading of the complete text is described as "unabridged", while readings of shorter versions are abridgements. Spoken audio has been available in sc ...

version of ''Weedflower'', read by Kimberly Farr, has been published.

Plot

The story takes place in 1941. A classmate invites the main character Sumiko to a birthday party. Sumiko goes with a gift her uncle bought, but she is not invited into the house because she is Japanese. When she returns home, she lies to her family so as not to disappoint them. Afterward, she tells the truth to her cousin Bull and her little brother Tak-Tak. To Sumiko's surprise,

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

bombs

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the Naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the Re ...

. The United States declares war on Japan. Sumiko and her family are forced to burn everything that may seem "disloyal" or suspicious, including Sumiko's dead parents' photo. Sumiko is kept home from school. Her grandfather is arrested for being first-generation Japanese (''issei'') and former principal of a Japanese school, and her uncle is arrested for being former president of a Japanese flower-growing association. By the end of February, more than 2,000 people of Japanese ancestry, including American citizens, have been wrongfully arrested and relocated to prison camps. Gradually, all Japanese people, including Sumiko's family, have to leave their homes and belongings and go to camps. Sumiko has to leave her flower farm and move twice, from the San Carlos racetrack camp to

Poston War Relocation Center The Poston Internment Camp, located in Yuma County (now in La Paz County) in southwestern Arizona, was the largest (in terms of area) of the ten American concentration camps operated by the War Relocation Authority during World War II. The sit ...

Poston, Arizona Poston is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in La Paz County, Arizona, United States, in the Parker Valley. The population was 285 at the 2010 census, down from 389 in 2000. During World War II, Poston was the site o ...

. When Sumiko arrives at her "permanent" camp in Poston, she meets many people, including Sachi, Mr. Moto, and a Native American boy called Frank, who eventually becomes her first real friend. Sumiko gardens as a pastime to relive her memories from her flower farm back in her California home. Several months later, the United States announces that the Japanese prisoners can go outside the camps to be employed. After initial reluctance, Sumiko leaves with her aunt to a sewing factory in

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

. Her cousins, Bull and Ichiro, leave to fight for the army. After saying an abrupt, quick goodbye to Frank, she leaves the camp, and seeks out her future in Illinois.

Awards, achievements, and recognition

*ALA Best Books for Young Adults Nominee *ALA Notable Children's Book Nominee *Agatha Award Finalist *Booklist Editors' Choice *CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book *CCBC Choices (

Cooperative Children's Book Council A cooperative (also known as co-operative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically-control ...

) *Charlie May Simon Book Award ML (AR) *

Chicago Public Library The Chicago Public Library (CPL) is the public library system that serves the City of Chicago in the U.S. state of Illinois. It consists of 81 locations, including a central library, two regional libraries, and branches distributed throughout the ...

's Best of the Best *Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award Master List (VT) * IRA/CBC Children's Choices *Indian Paintbrush Book Award Master List (WY) *

Jane Addams Children's Book Award The Jane Addams Children's Book Award is given annually to a children's book published the preceding year that advances the causes of peace and social equality. The awards have been presented annually since 1953. They were previously given joint ...

Kentucky Bluegrass Award Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to ...

Master List * Keystone to Reading Book Award Master List (PA) *Massachusetts Children's Book Award Master List *Nene Award Master List (HI) * Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award * PEN USA Literary Award for Children's Literature *Texas Bluebonnet Master List *Young Hoosier Book Award Master List (IN)

Reception

Critical reception has been mostly positive. ''Weedflower'' has received reviews from ''BookPage'', ''

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' (or ''Kirkus Media'') is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus (1893–1980). The magazine is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fic ...

'', and ''

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of B ...

'', and starred reviews from ''

Booklist ''Booklist'' is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. ''Booklist''s primary audience consists of libraries, educators, and booksellers. The magazine is av ...

'' and ''

School Library Journal ''School Library Journal'' (''SLJ'') is an American monthly magazine containing reviews and other articles for school librarians, media specialists, and public librarians who work with young people. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, with ...

''. ''BookPage'' had stated that the novel provides a "well-rounded look at a painful moment in this country's history." ''Booklist'' praised that the novel had "beautifully individualized characters". The ''School Library Journal'' said "the concise yet lyrical prose conveys umiko'sstory in a compelling narrative that will resonate with a wide audience". ''Publishers Weekly'' stated that "Kadohata clearly and eloquently conveys her heroine's mixture of shame, anger and courage". ''Kirkus'' says that the story is "quietly powerful". On the other hand, ''VOYA Magazine'' criticized that the book has "inconsistent and flat characterization and a narrative tendency to tell rather than to show, as well as an overabundance of exclamation points".

References

{{Internment of Japanese Americans American children's novels Children's historical novels 2006 American novels Novels set during World War II Novels set in Arizona Books about the internment of Japanese Americans Novels by Cynthia Kadohata 2006 children's books Novels set in California Children's books set during World War II Children's books set in California Children's books set in Arizona Children's books set in the 1940s

Plot

Awards, achievements, and recognition

Reception

See also

References