Somewhere Among by Annie Donwerth-Chikamatsu (English) Hardcover Book

Description: Somewhere Among by Annie Donwerth-Chikamatsu, Sonia Chaghatzbanian Eleven-year-old Emmas life in Tokyo changes for the worse when she and her American mother, who is pregnant, must move in with her Japanese grandmother the summer before 9/11 changes the world. FORMAT Hardcover LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Publisher Description A beautiful and haunting debut novel in verse about an American-Japanese girl struggling with the loneliness of being caught between two worlds when the tragedy of 9/11 strikes an ocean away. Eleven-year-old Ema has always been of two worlds--her fathers Japanese heritage and her mothers life in America. Shes spent summers in California for as long as she can remember, but this year she and her mother are staying with her grandparents in Japan as they await the arrival of Emas baby sibling. Her mothers pregnancy has been tricky, putting everyone on edge, but Emas heart is singing--finally, there will be someone else who will understand what its like to belong and not belong at the same time. But Emas good spirits are muffled by her grandmother who is cold, tightfisted, and quick to reprimand her for the slightest infraction. Then, when their stay is extended and Ema must go to a new school, her worries of not belonging grow. And when the tragedy of 9/11 strikes, Ema, her parents, and the world watch as the twin towers fall... As Ema watches her mother grieve for her country across the ocean--threatening the safety of her pregnancy--and her beloved grandfather falls ill, she feels more helpless and hopeless than ever. And yet, surrounded by tragedy, Ema sees for the first time the tender side of her grandmother, and the reason for the penny-pinching and sternness make sense--her grandmother has been preparing so they could all survive the worst. Dipping and soaring, Somewhere Among is the story of one girls search for identity, inner peace, and how she discovers that hope can indeed rise from the ashes of disaster. Author Biography Annie Donwerth-Chikamatsus debut novel Somewhere Among, based on life in a bicultural multi-generational home in Tokyo, won the Freeman Award, SCBWI Crystal Kite Award, Writers League of Texas Book Award, and was a Bank Street Best Book of the Year. She still lives in Tokyo, Japan, after raising two children and experiencing the 2011 earthquake and aftershocks. After inheriting the garden work from Great-grandfather and Grandfather, she has spent a lot more time gardening. It keeps her grounded. Review During her mothers difficult pregnancy, Ema andher parents move in with her Japanese grandparents. Usually, in August, Ema andher white, American mother visit Nana and Grandpa Bob in California. But Momspregnant and weak, so they move in with Papas parents on the other side ofTokyo. A new neighborhoods hard, especially for a biracial kid whos called"foreigner" by strangers but identifies as Japanese. Ema describesher life and cares in thoughtful, quietly detailed free-verse poems. Sheworries about the baby ("Other babies have almost come but werelost"), the judgment of her domineering Obaasan (grandmother), and thefrailty of sweet Jiichan (grandfather); she misses Papa, whos almost always atwork. Carefully, she refrains from burdening anyone with her concerns. Wovenright into this familys heart are events past and present, local andfar-flung. One is Jiichans boyhood trauma during World War II, "in thehills / watching / outside Nagasaki, "and how that bombing means thatJiichans ancestors have nothing like a grave: "There is nothing / nothing / left of Jiichans family." Another is the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, which they watch unfold from Japan and which threaten her fragile motherspeace of mind. An occasional one-sentence poem, starkly alone on a page, strikes hard. Emas profound choice of her baby sisters name brilliantlytouches all the themes, including peace. A tender piece about connectedness.(Verse historical fiction. 9-12--Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW "3/1/16"Eleven-year-old Ema lives in a blend of Japanese and American cultures. As she says,"binational/bicultural/bilingual biracial," and "half this/half that." As the summer of 2001 begins, Ema ispreparing to leave Tokyo, but not for her traditional California summer with her moms parents. This summer, Ema and her expectant mother retreat to the home of Papas parents in western Japan. Emas fierce obaasan is counterbalanced by her gentle jiichan, who never misses the daily news broadcast. This backdrop of world events maintains its own tension as Ema faces the challenges of school and a particularly troublesome classmate. Written in free-verse poems, this novel has a quiet pace reflecting the tranquility of traditional Japanese culture. As some readers might anticipate, the calamitous events of 9/11 reverberate across the distance to rattle Emas world. The combination of free verse from the vantage of a mixed-race Japanese American youth is reminiscent of Holly Thompsons writing, although this book is better suited for younger readers. -- Diane Colson--Booklist "April 15, 2016"Emas mom is expecting a new baby, and the pregnancy has been a tricky one, so her parents decide that she and her mother will stay in Japan with her paternal grandparents until the baby arrives. Complicating matters is the fact that her grandparents are very traditional and strict, which makes the biracial tween feel like even more of an outsider. She cannot keep herself from missing her old life of spending summers with her American maternal grandparents or relaxing with her father after work. To make matters worse, it seems she can never make her Japanese grandmother happy. Then tragedy after tragedy strike--all set against the backdrop of September 11, 2001. Everything starts to fall apart. After receiving a small gift during a chance meeting on a train, Ema realizes that she must do her best to remain positive and endure. Written as a first-person novel in free verse poetry, this is an engaging, quick read. Readers will relate to Emas struggles to grow up and understand how different people react to grief and conflict. Those unfamiliar with Japanese culture will get a glimpse into how other students grow up. Though the topic is heavy, Donwerth-Chikamatsus writing style will keep even reluctant readers wanting to know more about Emas life long after the novels end. This debut is sure to get young students thinking about global connections and how remaining positive through adversity in their own lives may make things a little better. VERDICT An absorbing and affecting story featuring a biracial middle grade protagonist.--School Library Journal "April 1, 2016"Emaslife is in flux: her pregnant mother needs rest, so theyve left Emas fatherin Tokyo while they stay with her grandparents, Obaasan and Jiichan, in thecountry. Ema misses her home and friends, as well as visiting her maternalgrandparents in California in the summer. Meanwhile, her American motherclashes with Obaasan frequently; Ema has trouble getting to know her sterngrandmother, too, though she connects with kindhearted Jiichan. As fifth gradebegins, sensitive Ema has difficulties at school, including a bully, but hermain concern is the health of her mothers baby. Debut novelistDonwerth-Chikamatsu makes good use of the verse novel format to emphasize that"binational/ bicultural/ bilingual/ biracial" Ema is still learningEnglish while revealing an intimate portrait of her daily struggles in anunfamiliar place. The novel is set over the course of several months in 2001, and while the 9/11 connection feels a bit tenuous, it provides a moving outsideperspective on the tragedy and helps shape a universal message of "peaceamong nations/ peace among peoples/ peace in the heart." Ages 9-12.--Publishers Weekly "March 28, 2016"Japanese fifth-grader Ema and her pregnant mother must move to the other side of Toyko to stay for several months with Obaasan and Jiichan, Papas parents: Mom is weak with debilitating morning sickness, and Papa works long hours. No one is happy with the situation--Ema will miss her usual summer visit to Moms parents in California; stern Obaasan is overly controlling and critical; and Ema must deal with new schoolmates--and a bully. The one bright spot for Ema is Jiichan, who enjoys spending time with his granddaughter. Emas narration in this free-verse novel is quiet and thoughtful. The year is 2001, and the news is filled with heartbreak: the tragedy of the Ehime Maru, the Japanese ship sunk by an American submarine; the commemoration in August of the anniversaries of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (where Jiichan lost his whole family); and then September 11th, especially traumatic for Emas American mother. The word heart appears throughout the poems, leading gradually to the climax, as Jiichans heart lands him in the hospital and a stranger gives Ema an origami doll with a heart on it and a message of peace--a message that awakens in Obaasan a change of heart. When the baby arrives, Ema comes up with the perfect name for her new sister--leaving her family and readers feeling full of hope for the future. Though Ema sometimes sounds older than eleven, thats a small caveat in an otherwise well-crafted, deeply absorbing novel.--Horn Book Magazine "May/June 2016" Review Quote Japanese fifth-grader Ema and her pregnant mother must move to the other side of Toyko to stay for several months with Obaasan and Jiichan, Papas parents: Mom is weak with debilitating morning sickness, and Papa works long hours. No one is happy with the situation--Ema will miss her usual summer visit to Moms parents in California; stern Obaasan is overly controlling and critical; and Ema must deal with new schoolmates--and a bully. The one bright spot for Ema is Jiichan, who enjoys spending time with his granddaughter. Emas narration in this free-verse novel is quiet and thoughtful. The year is 2001, and the news is filled with heartbreak: the tragedy of the Ehime Maru, the Japanese ship sunk by an American submarine; the commemoration in August of the anniversaries of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (where Jiichan lost his whole family); and then September 11th, especially traumatic for Emas American mother. The word heart appears throughout the poems, leading gradually to the climax, as Jiichans heart lands him in the hospital and a stranger gives Ema an origami doll with a heart on it and a message of peace--a message that awakens in Obaasan a change of heart. When the baby arrives, Ema comes up with the perfect name for her new sister--leaving her family and readers feeling full of hope for the future. Though Ema sometimes sounds older than eleven, thats a small caveat in an otherwise well-crafted, deeply absorbing novel. Excerpt from Book Somewhere Among PREPARING MYSELF Not enough room for me to give Mom space, I crouch in my corner fold clothes for three seasons into my suitcase slide pencil case, supplies box, assignments, notebooks, and textbooks into my schoolbag and slip my NASA pen into my pocket. I do not want to go to stay with Obaachan, my Japanese grandmother, but it cannot be helped. Every August I pack my summer homework shorts and swimsuit to fly to Northern California with Mom but this year I am packing on a school holiday the longest day of the year to go to western Tokyo. I will miss six months of fifth grade at my school I will miss our holiday by the sea with Papa before California I will miss a whole month of having Moms old room to myself. My friends will miss the cinnamon balls wrapped in pepper-red plastic I always bring back as souvenirs. JUNE 21, 2001 Details ISBN1481437860 Author Sonia Chaghatzbanian Short Title SOMEWHERE AMONG Audience Age 9-12 Language English ISBN-10 1481437860 ISBN-13 9781481437868 Media Book Format Hardcover Pages 448 DEWEY FIC Illustrator Sonia Chaghatzbanian Year 2016 Publication Date 2016-04-26 Publisher Atheneum Books Imprint Atheneum Books Illustrations Illustrations, unspecified Audience Children / Juvenile We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. With fast shipping, low prices, friendly service and well over a million items - you're bound to find what you want, at a price you'll love! TheNile_Item_ID:137642390;

Price: 64.74 AUD

Location: Melbourne

End Time: 2025-01-29T03:23:19.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 AUD