Journey to Topaz by Yoshiko Uchida captures the harrowing experience of Japanese-Americans during WWII. Readers appreciate its heartfelt storytelling and historical insight, though some find the narrative pace slow at times. The book's poignant depiction of internment camps educates and moves, but may seem simplified for young readers. Overall, a compelling read.

A reader who enjoys Journey to Topaz by Yoshiko Uchida likely appreciates historical fiction centered on personal and societal struggles. Fans of Number the Stars by Lois Lowry or Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston will be drawn to Uchida's poignant portrayal of Japanese American internment during WWII.

In Journey to Topaz by Yoshiko Uchida, 11-year-old Yuki Sakane and her family are forcibly relocated from their home in Berkeley, California, to the Topaz War Relocation Center in Utah during World War II. The novel depicts how this experience of unjust imprisonment impacts their lives and sense of identity within the wider context of wartime prejudice and racism in America. The book includes descriptions of racism, incarceration, violent death, injustice, and violence toward a minoritized population.

Melancholic / Emotional / Contemplative / Mysterious / Bittersweet

- Journey to Topaz is one of the earliest novels to explore the Japanese American internment during World War II, and it was inspired by Yoshiko Uchida’s own experiences in the internment camps. 
- The novel is often used in educational settings to help students understand the historical impact of Executive Order 9066 and the internment of Japanese Americans.

**Yuki Sakane**  
An eleven-year-old Japanese American girl living in Berkeley, California, who experiences profound changes in her life following the attack on Pearl Harbor, as she and her family face the challenges of life in internment camps.

**Ken Sakane**  
Yuki’s older brother, a student with ambitions of becoming a doctor, who takes on family responsibilities during their father's internment and later grapples with choices that reflect his sense of justice and duty.

**Mrs. Sakane**  
The wise and gentle matriarch of the Sakane family, who maintains Japanese traditions and harmony within the family while navigating the hardships of internment with resilience and grace.

**Mr. Sakane**  
Yuki’s father and a respected member of the Issei community, whose unjust arrest and internment reflect the broader injustices faced by Japanese Americans during the war.

**Mr. Toda**  
An elderly Issei bachelor from Berkeley, California, who becomes an integral part of the Sakane family’s support network and shares a deep bond with Yuki.

**The Kurihara Family**  
Consists of Emi Kurihara and her grandparents, who are neighbors and close friends of the Sakanes throughout their internment, each member contributing uniquely to the interwoven community life in the camps.

Yoshiko Uchida

Middle grade

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Journey to Topaz: A Story of the Japanese-American Evacuation

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