Gr 3–6—After Pearl Harbor, life changes for fifth grader Mitzi Kashino and her family, as it did for all Japanese American citizens across the US during that time. Family and friends are shunned, bullied, fingerprinted, and even incarcerated for visiting Japan. Relocation from Seattle, WA to Camp Harmony, and ultimately to Minidoka, ID, causes the loss of jobs, school, homes, cars, and personal possessions. Pets were not allowed in the camps, and this is where Mitzi's dog
Dash becomes the linchpin in Larson's story. Recognizing the injustice, neighbor Mrs. Bowker does not hesitate to foster Dash for the Kashino family, and she regularly sends letters "from" Dash to Mitzi. The other interned residents anticipate news from the dog, which effectively lifts spirits and encourages a sense of community. Although not as detailed as Winifred Conkling's
Sylvia and Aki (Tricycle Press, 2011), both titles complement one another as fictionalized stories of actual events, and share the theme of courage and dignity in the face of injustice. Dash fills a niche between picture books like
The Bracelet by Uchida Yoshiko (Penguin, 1993) and
Barbed Wire Baseball by Marissa Moss (Abrams, 2013) and works for older audiences such as
Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata (S. & S., 2006) and
Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston (Houghton Mifflin, 1973). Larson's latest is historical fiction at its best.—
Sharon Lawler, Texas Bluebonnet Award CommitteeAfter Pearl Harbor, Mitsi Kashino's family has to go live in a "camp." Worse, her beloved dog, Dash, isn't allowed to accompany them. Luckily, elderly neighbor Mrs. Bowker takes Dash in. When amusing letters "from Dash" start arriving at camp, they help Mitsi make friends and spread happiness. A companion novel to Duke, Dash is another diverting wartime dog story.
It's bad enough that Mitsi Kashino's best friends, Mags and Judy, have snubbed her ever since the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and that her family has to go live in a "camp" for who knows how long. The worst, however, is yet to come: Mitsi learns that her beloved dog, Dash, isn't allowed to accompany them. Luckily, elderly neighbor Mrs. Bowker is happy to take Dash in and care for him. When amusing letters "from Dash" start arriving at camp, they help Mitsi make friends and spread a little happiness around. A companion novel to Larson's Duke (rev. 9/13), Dash is another diverting wartime dog story likely to appeal even to dog lovers who aren't yet historical fiction fans. Mitsi's experiences are a personalized microcosm of those of the larger Japanese American community--disbelief that her closest friends have abandoned her, relief that some non-Asians are dismayed by the evacuation, heartbroken at what she must leave behind, and determined to make the best of a bad situation. Young readers will be as surprised and happy as Mitsi is to learn who really wrote the letters (no, it's not Mrs. Bowker)--an auspicious sign for this sympathetic protagonist's future. jennifer m. brabander
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