{"id":11668679626,"title":"Write to Me","handle":"write-to-me","description":"\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan size=\"4\" style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003eWrite to Me\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan size=\"3\" style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003eLetters from Japanese American Children to the Librarian They Left Behind\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/cynthia-grady\"\u003eCynthia Grady\u003c\/a\u003e \/ Illustrated by: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/amiko-hirao\"\u003eAmiko Hirao\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDear Miss Breed . . .\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA touching story about Japanese American children who corresponded with their beloved librarian while they were imprisoned in World War II internment camps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Executive Order 9066 is enacted after the attack at Pearl Harbor, children's librarian Clara Breed's young Japanese American patrons are to be sent to prison camp. Before they are moved, Breed asks the children to write her letters and gives them books to take with them. Through the three years of their internment, the children correspond with Miss Breed, sharing their stories, providing feedback on books, and creating a record of their experiences. Using excerpts from children's letters held at the Japanese American National Museum, author Cynthia Grady presents a difficult subject with honesty and hope.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/charlesbridge.blogspot.com\/2018\/01\/charlesbridge-unplugged-cynthia-grady.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eListen\u003c\/a\u003e to author Cynthia Grady talk about \u003cem\u003eWrite to Me \u003c\/em\u003e on Charlesbridge Unplugged.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCynthia Grady is interviewed on CBS8 in San Diego in conjunction with One Book One San Diego\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ciframe height=\"360\" width=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/cbs8.com\/embeds\/video\/509-ddf3e595-e614-404e-9b0f-69457df3285f\/iframe\" style=\"border: 1px solid #e6e6e6;\" mozallowfullscreen=\"true\" webkitallowfullscreen=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e \u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/the-harmonica\"\u003eThe Harmonica\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/malala\"\u003eMalala: Activist for Girls' Education\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/write-to-me-spread.jpg?6828763744186481989\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" class=\"cvr-border-gray\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript type=\"text\/javascript\" async=\"\" defer data-pin-shape=\"round\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCynthia Grady, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCynthia Grady is a former middle-school librarian and the author of \u003ci\u003eLike a Bird: The Art of the American Slave Song\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eI Lay My Stitches Down: Poems of American Slavery\u003c\/i\u003e. She lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/cynthia-grady\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Cynthia here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/charlesbridge.blogspot.com\/2018\/01\/charlesbridge-unplugged-cynthia-grady.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eListen to our podcast interview\u003c\/a\u003e with Cynthia here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - ENTER ILLUSTRATOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAmiko Hirao, illustrator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmiko Hirao illustrated \u003ci\u003eTake Me Out to the Ball Game\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eTulip at Bat\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eJust What Mama Needs\u003c\/i\u003e. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/amiko-hirao\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Amiko here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e2019 ILA Social Justice Literature Award Winner\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e2019 VLA Jefferson Cup Award Winner\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/star-fade.gif?18127980511287865543\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eBooklist\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYoung Katherine Tasaki tells Miss Breed, her librarian, that she and her family will be leaving San Diego soon. Aware of the new wartime law relocating Japanese Americans to remote prison camps, Miss Breed hands the girl a self-addressed, stamped postcard and asks her to write. At the train station, she hugs the departing children and gives them books and postcards. Later, she sends letters as well as boxes of books, seeds, soap, and craft supplies. She writes magazine articles about the treatment of Japanese American families, and letters requesting a library and school for the children. And when the war ends, she welcomes Katherine and other children home. This quiet, moving story tells of a young woman doing what she can to alleviate the suffering of Japanese American families wrongfully denied their civil liberties during WWII. Avoiding euphemisms about relocation and internment, Grady refers to “prison camp” and “imprisoned children.” The personal story, though, is full of warmth emanating from Hirao’s radiant, softly shaded color-pencil artwork, from Miss Breed’s relationship with the children, and from the actual quotes from their notes, appearing on small postcards superimposed on the illustrations. A beautiful picture book for sharing and discussing with older children as well as the primary audience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgainst the grim backdrop of the Japanese-American internment camps, white librarian Clara Breed's compassion offered children a ray of hope and a comforting connection to the normal lives they sorely missed. The children's librarian at a San Diego public library, Breed had a close bond with many of her young patrons. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941, as these young Japanese-Americans were incarcerated with their families in harsh desert conditions, Breed corresponded with many of them, sending books and art supplies, and wrote articles and letters agitating for justice for the internees. Many pages include quotes from the children's correspondence, now archived at the Japanese American National Museum, which testify to the power of literature to make life more bearable. The text softens the harsh realities of the times, focusing primarily on Breed as a benefactor. \"The US government\" is named as the enemy, with the pervasive racism and overt hostility of many ordinary Americans going unmentioned. Following the war, readers are told that some Japanese-Americans \"feared that they would not be welcome in their old neighborhoods….But others…couldn't wait to come home,\" even though the fears of the former were often justified and they might well have preferred to return home too. The endpapers feature historical photographs, and the colored-pencil illustrations give a gentle, sepia-toned feel to the book. Extensive endnotes provide valuable context. A touching tribute to a woman who deserves recognition, but it's one that should be complemented by other works.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher's Weekly\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrady (\u003cem\u003eI Lay My Stitches Down: Poems of American Slavery\u003c\/em\u003e) recounts, in partial epistolary format, the true story of San Diego children’s librarian Clara Breed, who corresponded with her young Japanese-American patrons while they were interned during WWII. Excerpts from the children’s letters appear as small signed postcards that overlay many of Hirao’s muted colored-pencil illustrations. “Books make the day shorter and happier for us,” one postcard declares; others offer upsetting glimpses into camp life (“We live in a horse stable”). Miss Breed also brought books and small gifts to the children at their Arizona internment camp and advocated in other ways (“She wrote magazine articles. She wrote letters asking for a library and school for the imprisoned children”). Endpapers featuring captioned b\u0026amp;w photographs from that era—one shows Japanese-American children awaiting deportation—cement the story’s context for young readers. This affecting introduction to a distressing chapter in U.S. history and a brave librarian who inspired hope concludes with extensive back matter, including an author’s note, a timeline of Breed’s life, and a selected history of Japanese-Americans in the U.S.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/write-to-me-cvr.jpg?964124669182911277\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"product-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/write-to-me-hi-res.zip?964124669182911277\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"product-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/Write-to-Me-Discussion-Guide.pdf?11211909331276270240\"\u003eDownload the Activity Guide\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHardcover\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-58089-688-7\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE-book\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-63289-583-7 EPUB\u003cbr\u003e ISBN: 978-1-63289-584-4 PDF\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 4-8\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 32\u003cbr\u003e8 x 10\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCorrelated to Common Core State Standards:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEnglish Language Arts-Literacy. Reading Informational. Grade 1. Standards 1-4, 6-8, 10\u003cbr\u003eEnglish Language Arts-Literacy. Reading Informational. Grade 2. Standards 1-4, 6-8, 10\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS] \u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA touching story about Japanese American children who corresponded with their beloved librarian while they were imprisoned in World War II internment camps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Executive Order 9066 is enacted after the attack at Pearl Harbor, children's librarian Clara Breed's young Japanese American patrons are to be sent to prison camp. Before they are moved, Breed asks the children to write her letters and gives them books to take with them. Through the three years of their internment, the children correspond with Miss Breed, sharing their stories, providing feedback on books, and creating a record of their experiences. Using excerpts from children's letters held at the Japanese American National Museum, author Cynthia Grady presents a difficult subject with honesty and hope.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/charlesbridge.blogspot.com\/2018\/01\/charlesbridge-unplugged-cynthia-grady.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eListen\u003c\/a\u003e to author Cynthia Grady talk about \u003cem\u003eWrite to Me \u003c\/em\u003e on Charlesbridge Unplugged.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/the-harmonica\"\u003eThe Harmonica\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/malala\"\u003eMalala: Activist for Girls' Education\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/a-path-of-stars\"\u003eA Path of Stars\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/write-to-me-spread.jpg?6828763744186481989\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" class=\"cvr-border-gray\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript type=\"text\/javascript\" async=\"\" defer data-pin-shape=\"round\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCynthia Grady, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCynthia Grady is a former middle-school librarian and the author of \u003ci\u003eLike a Bird: The Art of the American Slave Song\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eI Lay My Stitches Down: Poems of American Slavery\u003c\/i\u003e. She lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/cynthia-grady\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Cynthia here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/charlesbridge.blogspot.com\/2018\/01\/charlesbridge-unplugged-cynthia-grady.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eListen to our podcast interview\u003c\/a\u003e with Cynthia here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - ENTER ILLUSTRATOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAmiko Hirao, illustrator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmiko Hirao illustrated \u003ci\u003eTake Me Out to the Ball Game\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eTulip at Bat\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eJust What Mama Needs\u003c\/i\u003e. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/amiko-hirao\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Amiko here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComing soon!\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/star-fade.gif?18127980511287865543\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eBooklist\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYoung Katherine Tasaki tells Miss Breed, her librarian, that she and her family will be leaving San Diego soon. Aware of the new wartime law relocating Japanese Americans to remote prison camps, Miss Breed hands the girl a self-addressed, stamped postcard and asks her to write. At the train station, she hugs the departing children and gives them books and postcards. Later, she sends letters as well as boxes of books, seeds, soap, and craft supplies. She writes magazine articles about the treatment of Japanese American families, and letters requesting a library and school for the children. And when the war ends, she welcomes Katherine and other children home. This quiet, moving story tells of a young woman doing what she can to alleviate the suffering of Japanese American families wrongfully denied their civil liberties during WWII. Avoiding euphemisms about relocation and internment, Grady refers to “prison camp” and “imprisoned children.” The personal story, though, is full of warmth emanating from Hirao’s radiant, softly shaded color-pencil artwork, from Miss Breed’s relationship with the children, and from the actual quotes from their notes, appearing on small postcards superimposed on the illustrations. A beautiful picture book for sharing and discussing with older children as well as the primary audience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgainst the grim backdrop of the Japanese-American internment camps, white librarian Clara Breed's compassion offered children a ray of hope and a comforting connection to the normal lives they sorely missed. The children's librarian at a San Diego public library, Breed had a close bond with many of her young patrons. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941, as these young Japanese-Americans were incarcerated with their families in harsh desert conditions, Breed corresponded with many of them, sending books and art supplies, and wrote articles and letters agitating for justice for the internees. Many pages include quotes from the children's correspondence, now archived at the Japanese American National Museum, which testify to the power of literature to make life more bearable. The text softens the harsh realities of the times, focusing primarily on Breed as a benefactor. \"The US government\" is named as the enemy, with the pervasive racism and overt hostility of many ordinary Americans going unmentioned. Following the war, readers are told that some Japanese-Americans \"feared that they would not be welcome in their old neighborhoods….But others…couldn't wait to come home,\" even though the fears of the former were often justified and they might well have preferred to return home too. The endpapers feature historical photographs, and the colored-pencil illustrations give a gentle, sepia-toned feel to the book. Extensive endnotes provide valuable context. A touching tribute to a woman who deserves recognition, but it's one that should be complemented by other works.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher's Weekly\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrady (\u003cem\u003eI Lay My Stitches Down: Poems of American Slavery\u003c\/em\u003e) recounts, in partial epistolary format, the true story of San Diego children’s librarian Clara Breed, who corresponded with her young Japanese-American patrons while they were interned during WWII. Excerpts from the children’s letters appear as small signed postcards that overlay many of Hirao’s muted colored-pencil illustrations. “Books make the day shorter and happier for us,” one postcard declares; others offer upsetting glimpses into camp life (“We live in a horse stable”). Miss Breed also brought books and small gifts to the children at their Arizona internment camp and advocated in other ways (“She wrote magazine articles. She wrote letters asking for a library and school for the imprisoned children”). Endpapers featuring captioned b\u0026amp;w photographs from that era—one shows Japanese-American children awaiting deportation—cement the story’s context for young readers. This affecting introduction to a distressing chapter in U.S. history and a brave librarian who inspired hope concludes with extensive back matter, including an author’s note, a timeline of Breed’s life, and a selected history of Japanese-Americans in the U.S.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/write-to-me-cvr.jpg?964124669182911277\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"product-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/write-to-me-hi-res.zip?964124669182911277\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"product-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/Write-to-Me-Discussion-Guide.pdf?11211909331276270240\"\u003eDownload the Activity Guide\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHardcover\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-58089-688-7\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE-book\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-63289-583-7 EPUB\u003cbr\u003e ISBN: 978-1-63289-584-4 PDF\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 4-8\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 32\u003cbr\u003e8 x 10\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCorrelated to Common Core State Standards:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEnglish Language Arts-Literacy. Reading Informational. Grade 1. Standards 1-4, 6-8, 10\u003cbr\u003eEnglish Language Arts-Literacy. Reading Informational. Grade 2. Standards 1-4, 6-8, 10\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]","published_at":"2017-08-04T13:28:49-04:00","created_at":"2017-08-04T12:08:30-04:00","vendor":"Charlesbridge","type":"Children's Book","tags":["Browse by Age_Ages 3-6","Browse by Age_Ages 6-10","Browse by Fiction\/Nonfiction_Nonfiction","Browse by Format_Picture Book","Browse by Language_English","Browse by Subject_Diversity","Browse by Subject_History \u0026 Biography","civil rights","friendship","Women's History"],"price":799,"price_min":799,"price_max":1699,"available":true,"price_varies":true,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":46264895818,"title":"Hardcover","option1":"Hardcover","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"96887","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Write to Me - Hardcover","public_title":"Hardcover","options":["Hardcover"],"price":1699,"weight":471,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_quantity":5,"inventory_management":"shopify","inventory_policy":"continue","barcode":"978-1-58089-688-7","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":29806809120847,"title":"Paperback","option1":"Paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"41118","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Write to Me - Paperback","public_title":"Paperback","options":["Paperback"],"price":799,"weight":471,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_quantity":24,"inventory_management":"shopify","inventory_policy":"continue","barcode":"","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/charlesbridgeteen.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/write-to-me-cover.jpg?v=1586807562"],"featured_image":"\/\/charlesbridgeteen.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/write-to-me-cover.jpg?v=1586807562","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":"Write to Me book cover","id":5805106528335,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.805,"height":745,"width":600,"src":"\/\/charlesbridgeteen.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/write-to-me-cover.jpg?v=1586807562"},"aspect_ratio":0.805,"height":745,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/charlesbridgeteen.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/write-to-me-cover.jpg?v=1586807562","width":600}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan size=\"4\" style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003eWrite to Me\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan size=\"3\" style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003eLetters from Japanese American Children to the Librarian They Left Behind\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/cynthia-grady\"\u003eCynthia Grady\u003c\/a\u003e \/ Illustrated by: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/amiko-hirao\"\u003eAmiko Hirao\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDear Miss Breed . . .\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA touching story about Japanese American children who corresponded with their beloved librarian while they were imprisoned in World War II internment camps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Executive Order 9066 is enacted after the attack at Pearl Harbor, children's librarian Clara Breed's young Japanese American patrons are to be sent to prison camp. Before they are moved, Breed asks the children to write her letters and gives them books to take with them. Through the three years of their internment, the children correspond with Miss Breed, sharing their stories, providing feedback on books, and creating a record of their experiences. Using excerpts from children's letters held at the Japanese American National Museum, author Cynthia Grady presents a difficult subject with honesty and hope.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/charlesbridge.blogspot.com\/2018\/01\/charlesbridge-unplugged-cynthia-grady.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eListen\u003c\/a\u003e to author Cynthia Grady talk about \u003cem\u003eWrite to Me \u003c\/em\u003e on Charlesbridge Unplugged.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCynthia Grady is interviewed on CBS8 in San Diego in conjunction with One Book One San Diego\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ciframe height=\"360\" width=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/cbs8.com\/embeds\/video\/509-ddf3e595-e614-404e-9b0f-69457df3285f\/iframe\" style=\"border: 1px solid #e6e6e6;\" mozallowfullscreen=\"true\" webkitallowfullscreen=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e \u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/the-harmonica\"\u003eThe Harmonica\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/malala\"\u003eMalala: Activist for Girls' Education\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/write-to-me-spread.jpg?6828763744186481989\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" class=\"cvr-border-gray\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript type=\"text\/javascript\" async=\"\" defer data-pin-shape=\"round\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCynthia Grady, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCynthia Grady is a former middle-school librarian and the author of \u003ci\u003eLike a Bird: The Art of the American Slave Song\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eI Lay My Stitches Down: Poems of American Slavery\u003c\/i\u003e. She lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/cynthia-grady\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Cynthia here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/charlesbridge.blogspot.com\/2018\/01\/charlesbridge-unplugged-cynthia-grady.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eListen to our podcast interview\u003c\/a\u003e with Cynthia here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - ENTER ILLUSTRATOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAmiko Hirao, illustrator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmiko Hirao illustrated \u003ci\u003eTake Me Out to the Ball Game\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eTulip at Bat\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eJust What Mama Needs\u003c\/i\u003e. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/amiko-hirao\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Amiko here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e2019 ILA Social Justice Literature Award Winner\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e2019 VLA Jefferson Cup Award Winner\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/star-fade.gif?18127980511287865543\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eBooklist\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYoung Katherine Tasaki tells Miss Breed, her librarian, that she and her family will be leaving San Diego soon. Aware of the new wartime law relocating Japanese Americans to remote prison camps, Miss Breed hands the girl a self-addressed, stamped postcard and asks her to write. At the train station, she hugs the departing children and gives them books and postcards. Later, she sends letters as well as boxes of books, seeds, soap, and craft supplies. She writes magazine articles about the treatment of Japanese American families, and letters requesting a library and school for the children. And when the war ends, she welcomes Katherine and other children home. This quiet, moving story tells of a young woman doing what she can to alleviate the suffering of Japanese American families wrongfully denied their civil liberties during WWII. Avoiding euphemisms about relocation and internment, Grady refers to “prison camp” and “imprisoned children.” The personal story, though, is full of warmth emanating from Hirao’s radiant, softly shaded color-pencil artwork, from Miss Breed’s relationship with the children, and from the actual quotes from their notes, appearing on small postcards superimposed on the illustrations. A beautiful picture book for sharing and discussing with older children as well as the primary audience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgainst the grim backdrop of the Japanese-American internment camps, white librarian Clara Breed's compassion offered children a ray of hope and a comforting connection to the normal lives they sorely missed. The children's librarian at a San Diego public library, Breed had a close bond with many of her young patrons. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941, as these young Japanese-Americans were incarcerated with their families in harsh desert conditions, Breed corresponded with many of them, sending books and art supplies, and wrote articles and letters agitating for justice for the internees. Many pages include quotes from the children's correspondence, now archived at the Japanese American National Museum, which testify to the power of literature to make life more bearable. The text softens the harsh realities of the times, focusing primarily on Breed as a benefactor. \"The US government\" is named as the enemy, with the pervasive racism and overt hostility of many ordinary Americans going unmentioned. Following the war, readers are told that some Japanese-Americans \"feared that they would not be welcome in their old neighborhoods….But others…couldn't wait to come home,\" even though the fears of the former were often justified and they might well have preferred to return home too. The endpapers feature historical photographs, and the colored-pencil illustrations give a gentle, sepia-toned feel to the book. Extensive endnotes provide valuable context. A touching tribute to a woman who deserves recognition, but it's one that should be complemented by other works.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher's Weekly\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrady (\u003cem\u003eI Lay My Stitches Down: Poems of American Slavery\u003c\/em\u003e) recounts, in partial epistolary format, the true story of San Diego children’s librarian Clara Breed, who corresponded with her young Japanese-American patrons while they were interned during WWII. Excerpts from the children’s letters appear as small signed postcards that overlay many of Hirao’s muted colored-pencil illustrations. “Books make the day shorter and happier for us,” one postcard declares; others offer upsetting glimpses into camp life (“We live in a horse stable”). Miss Breed also brought books and small gifts to the children at their Arizona internment camp and advocated in other ways (“She wrote magazine articles. She wrote letters asking for a library and school for the imprisoned children”). Endpapers featuring captioned b\u0026amp;w photographs from that era—one shows Japanese-American children awaiting deportation—cement the story’s context for young readers. This affecting introduction to a distressing chapter in U.S. history and a brave librarian who inspired hope concludes with extensive back matter, including an author’s note, a timeline of Breed’s life, and a selected history of Japanese-Americans in the U.S.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/write-to-me-cvr.jpg?964124669182911277\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"product-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/write-to-me-hi-res.zip?964124669182911277\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"product-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/Write-to-Me-Discussion-Guide.pdf?11211909331276270240\"\u003eDownload the Activity Guide\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHardcover\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-58089-688-7\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE-book\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-63289-583-7 EPUB\u003cbr\u003e ISBN: 978-1-63289-584-4 PDF\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 4-8\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 32\u003cbr\u003e8 x 10\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCorrelated to Common Core State Standards:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEnglish Language Arts-Literacy. Reading Informational. Grade 1. Standards 1-4, 6-8, 10\u003cbr\u003eEnglish Language Arts-Literacy. Reading Informational. Grade 2. Standards 1-4, 6-8, 10\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS] \u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA touching story about Japanese American children who corresponded with their beloved librarian while they were imprisoned in World War II internment camps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Executive Order 9066 is enacted after the attack at Pearl Harbor, children's librarian Clara Breed's young Japanese American patrons are to be sent to prison camp. Before they are moved, Breed asks the children to write her letters and gives them books to take with them. Through the three years of their internment, the children correspond with Miss Breed, sharing their stories, providing feedback on books, and creating a record of their experiences. Using excerpts from children's letters held at the Japanese American National Museum, author Cynthia Grady presents a difficult subject with honesty and hope.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/charlesbridge.blogspot.com\/2018\/01\/charlesbridge-unplugged-cynthia-grady.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eListen\u003c\/a\u003e to author Cynthia Grady talk about \u003cem\u003eWrite to Me \u003c\/em\u003e on Charlesbridge Unplugged.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/the-harmonica\"\u003eThe Harmonica\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/malala\"\u003eMalala: Activist for Girls' Education\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/a-path-of-stars\"\u003eA Path of Stars\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/write-to-me-spread.jpg?6828763744186481989\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" class=\"cvr-border-gray\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript type=\"text\/javascript\" async=\"\" defer data-pin-shape=\"round\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCynthia Grady, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCynthia Grady is a former middle-school librarian and the author of \u003ci\u003eLike a Bird: The Art of the American Slave Song\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eI Lay My Stitches Down: Poems of American Slavery\u003c\/i\u003e. She lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/cynthia-grady\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Cynthia here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/charlesbridge.blogspot.com\/2018\/01\/charlesbridge-unplugged-cynthia-grady.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eListen to our podcast interview\u003c\/a\u003e with Cynthia here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - ENTER ILLUSTRATOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAmiko Hirao, illustrator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmiko Hirao illustrated \u003ci\u003eTake Me Out to the Ball Game\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eTulip at Bat\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eJust What Mama Needs\u003c\/i\u003e. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/amiko-hirao\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Amiko here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComing soon!\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/star-fade.gif?18127980511287865543\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eBooklist\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYoung Katherine Tasaki tells Miss Breed, her librarian, that she and her family will be leaving San Diego soon. Aware of the new wartime law relocating Japanese Americans to remote prison camps, Miss Breed hands the girl a self-addressed, stamped postcard and asks her to write. At the train station, she hugs the departing children and gives them books and postcards. Later, she sends letters as well as boxes of books, seeds, soap, and craft supplies. She writes magazine articles about the treatment of Japanese American families, and letters requesting a library and school for the children. And when the war ends, she welcomes Katherine and other children home. This quiet, moving story tells of a young woman doing what she can to alleviate the suffering of Japanese American families wrongfully denied their civil liberties during WWII. Avoiding euphemisms about relocation and internment, Grady refers to “prison camp” and “imprisoned children.” The personal story, though, is full of warmth emanating from Hirao’s radiant, softly shaded color-pencil artwork, from Miss Breed’s relationship with the children, and from the actual quotes from their notes, appearing on small postcards superimposed on the illustrations. A beautiful picture book for sharing and discussing with older children as well as the primary audience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgainst the grim backdrop of the Japanese-American internment camps, white librarian Clara Breed's compassion offered children a ray of hope and a comforting connection to the normal lives they sorely missed. The children's librarian at a San Diego public library, Breed had a close bond with many of her young patrons. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941, as these young Japanese-Americans were incarcerated with their families in harsh desert conditions, Breed corresponded with many of them, sending books and art supplies, and wrote articles and letters agitating for justice for the internees. Many pages include quotes from the children's correspondence, now archived at the Japanese American National Museum, which testify to the power of literature to make life more bearable. The text softens the harsh realities of the times, focusing primarily on Breed as a benefactor. \"The US government\" is named as the enemy, with the pervasive racism and overt hostility of many ordinary Americans going unmentioned. Following the war, readers are told that some Japanese-Americans \"feared that they would not be welcome in their old neighborhoods….But others…couldn't wait to come home,\" even though the fears of the former were often justified and they might well have preferred to return home too. The endpapers feature historical photographs, and the colored-pencil illustrations give a gentle, sepia-toned feel to the book. Extensive endnotes provide valuable context. A touching tribute to a woman who deserves recognition, but it's one that should be complemented by other works.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher's Weekly\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrady (\u003cem\u003eI Lay My Stitches Down: Poems of American Slavery\u003c\/em\u003e) recounts, in partial epistolary format, the true story of San Diego children’s librarian Clara Breed, who corresponded with her young Japanese-American patrons while they were interned during WWII. Excerpts from the children’s letters appear as small signed postcards that overlay many of Hirao’s muted colored-pencil illustrations. “Books make the day shorter and happier for us,” one postcard declares; others offer upsetting glimpses into camp life (“We live in a horse stable”). Miss Breed also brought books and small gifts to the children at their Arizona internment camp and advocated in other ways (“She wrote magazine articles. She wrote letters asking for a library and school for the imprisoned children”). Endpapers featuring captioned b\u0026amp;w photographs from that era—one shows Japanese-American children awaiting deportation—cement the story’s context for young readers. This affecting introduction to a distressing chapter in U.S. history and a brave librarian who inspired hope concludes with extensive back matter, including an author’s note, a timeline of Breed’s life, and a selected history of Japanese-Americans in the U.S.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/write-to-me-cvr.jpg?964124669182911277\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"product-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/write-to-me-hi-res.zip?964124669182911277\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"product-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/Write-to-Me-Discussion-Guide.pdf?11211909331276270240\"\u003eDownload the Activity Guide\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHardcover\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-58089-688-7\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE-book\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-63289-583-7 EPUB\u003cbr\u003e ISBN: 978-1-63289-584-4 PDF\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 4-8\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 32\u003cbr\u003e8 x 10\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCorrelated to Common Core State Standards:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEnglish Language Arts-Literacy. Reading Informational. Grade 1. Standards 1-4, 6-8, 10\u003cbr\u003eEnglish Language Arts-Literacy. Reading Informational. Grade 2. Standards 1-4, 6-8, 10\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]"}