Fred Korematsu speaks up
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Average rating5
15
Ratings1
Average rating5
"Fred Korematsu liked listening to music on the radio, playing tennis, and hanging around with his friends--just like lots of other Americans. But everything changed when the United States went to war with Japan in 1941 and the government forced all people of Japanese ancestry to leave their homes on the West Coast and move to distant prison camps. This included Fred, whose parents had immigrated to the United States from Japan many years before. But Fred refused to go. He knew that what the government was doing was unfair. And when he got put in jail for resisting, he knew he couldn't give up. Inspired by the award-winning book for adults Wherever There's a Fight, the Fighting for Justice series introduces young readers to real-life heroes and heroines of social progress. The story of Fred Korematsu's fight against discrimination explores the life of one courageous person who made the United States a fairer place for all Americans, and it encourages all of us to speak up for justice."--Provided by publisher.
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I really enjoyed the way this book tells the story of Fred Korematsu and his legal battle against his incarceration as a Japanese American during World War II. Each chapter tells a portion of his story, in a sort of non-rhyming verse style, then the following pages explain more about the historical or legal context. For example, there is a chapter about Fred's teen years and trying to fit in in high school, and then there is information about American citizenship and who gets to be a citizen. The style mixes story-telling and information in a compelling way. I think it is aimed at late elementary school age and would be very approachable for them, but it is still interesting for me to learn from as an adult. Very well done.
