''Under the Blood Red Sun'' is a

historical novel Historical fiction is a literary genre in which the plot takes place in a setting related to the past events, but is fictional. Although the term is commonly used as a synonym for historical fiction literature, it can also be applied to other t ...

Graham Salisbury Graham Salisbury (born April 11, 1944) is an American children's writer. His best known work is '' Under the Blood Red Sun'', a historical novel that features a Japanese-American boy and his family during World War II. Under the name Sandy Sali ...

, published in 1995. An award-winning feature film by Japanese-American director Tim Savage and produced by Dana Satler Hankins, from a screenplay by Salisbury, was released in 2014.

Plot summary

The novel details the adventure of Tomikazu Nakaji, a

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 Asi ...

boy, and his family during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, when Americans of Japanese descent were being sent to

internment camps Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simpl ...

. Tomi lives in

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 ...

, and witnesses the shocking

attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii ...

. The story centers on the racist persecution of Tomi's family by others, the government's suspicion of the Japanese, and the family's efforts to downplay their Japanese heritage. He is joined by his ''haole'' or white friend, Billy, when his father and grandfather are captured and brought to a prison camp. Their friend Sanji (age 19) is killed and Tomi's dad is shot in the leg. Tomikazu Nakaji is determined to be an American. This is not easy for though he was born in Hawaii, his parents and grandfather were not; they were born in Japan and they still cling to Japanese ways. In fact Tomi's grandfather still insists that he is "Japanese" and he and Tomi's parents still talk about the need to honor the family. Tomi must never do anything which would bring "shame" to the family. However, Tomi knows that no matter what happens Billy and the others will stand by him. And, of course, there is always baseball.

Film adaptation

The cast of the 2014 film adaptation includes actors Kyler Ki Sakamoto, Kalama Epstein, Dann Seki, Autumn Ogawa, Wil Kahele, and Chris Tashima, as well as a

cameo appearance A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly ei ...

by Graham Salisbury. The film won numerous awards on the film festival circuit including the Spirit Award at the International Family Film Festival.Awards for 'Under the Blood Red Sun' (movie) at official film webpage.
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Awards

1994 - Parent's Choice Honor Award 1994 -

American Library Association The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with 49,727 members ...

, Best Book for Young Adults 1994 -

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 ...

Editor's Choice 1994 - Books in the Middle: Outstanding Book for the Middle School Reader 1995 - Teachers Choice, International Reading Association 1995 - YALSA - Best Books for Young Adults, American Library Association 1995 - Library of Congress: Notable Children's Book of the Year 1995 - Oregon Book Award 1995 - The Family Channel Seal of Quality 1995 - NY Public Library, Books for the Teen Age 1998 - Nene Award (Hawaii Young Reader's Choice) 1998 - Utah Young Adult Book Award Nominee 1998 -

Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award The Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award (RCYRBA) is an annual award given to the author of the book voted most outstanding by students in grades four through eight in participating Illinois schools and libraries. It is named in honor of child ...

Nominee 1999 -

California Young Reader Medal The California Young Reader Medal is a set of five annual literary awards conferred upon picture books and fiction books selected by vote of California schoolchildren from a ballot prepared by committee. The program was established in 1974 with Int ...

Award 2014 -

Phoenix Award The Phoenix Award annually recognizes one English-language children's book published twenty years earlier that did not then win a major literary award. It is named for the mythical bird phoenix that is reborn from its own ashes, signifying the ...

Honor Book Award

References

{{Japanese American internment camps 1995 American novels American historical novels Books about the internment of Japanese Americans Films about the internment of Japanese Americans Novels set in Hawaii Novels set during World War II Children's historical novels Children's books set in Hawaii Children's books set during World War II Children's books about racism

Plot summary

Film adaptation

Awards

See also

References