This was a great book. This book takes place in the 1940s during World War II. Sookan is the main character and is only a child having to live through this time of war. She tells the story of her family and her troubles she faces to get to freedom. Her father hide in Manchuria and her older brothers was in Japanese labor camps, Sookan and her remaining family members run a sock factory for the war effort. Sookan goes to school and is brainwashed by the Japanese who have taken over their school. Eventually the Russians come in and save them... or so they think. They actually come in and do the same thing the Japanese did. Her family decides that the only way to freedom is to escape across the 38th parallel. Part of the family goes while the others stay so that the Russians don't notice. During the escape they are tricked and their mother gets detained at a Russian checkpoint. Sookan and her younger brother, Inchun, have to make it on their own across the parallel and find their family on the other side. This book was heart wrenching and intense. I loved this book. I especially loved the description of them trying to run to the parallel on page 160 and 161. I felt like I was part of the story. I could imagine myself in Sookan's shoes... or bare feet to be politically correct. I was nervous for her and Inchun the entire time. I could only imagine the pain they were in. This book is certainly a new favorite of mine. I will certainly use this book in my classroom if it fits the grade level.
No comments:
Post a Comment