Summary
Gyo is a Japanese American girl living in the 1900s. She loved drawing and creating art. Even though she was so young she was aware that as a Japanese woman her opportunities were limited. In school her classmates didn’t pay any attention to her artwork. One of her teachers ended up noticing her artwork and sent her to art school. But, during WWII her family was sent to a Japanese American internment camp. She decided to write multi-racial books to fight segregation, and they were a hit.
Theme(s):
Oppression, Strength, Integration
Personal Response
This book is a great way to introduce history along with racial injustice to young students. Gyo uses language students will be able to understand, but still is able to send a strong message. Along with the beautiful words expressed by Kyo, the illustrations by Julie Morstad capture how Gyo felt throughout her life because some pages are filled with color and others are just black and white. This book is well-written and illustrated to make this a great book to read to kids.
Teaching Ideas
Gyo was very adamant that all children no matter their race should be represented in books. With this being noted I would read this book with my students, ask them discussion questions before, during, and after. Then, I would explain to them the goal of the author and ask students where they saw themselves represented in her book. Lastly, I will have students write about how it made them feel to see themselves represented in the book, and draw a picture showing how it made them feel.
Recommended Reading Level
Grade 02, Grade 03, Grade 04
