Newbery Honor author Kirby Larson (Hattie Big Sky) follows up Duke, also centering on a child-dog bond and set during World War II, with a story of a girl sent to the U.S. internment camps for Japanese-Americans.
Mitsi is a typical fifth grader--until the attack on Pearl Harbor. Suddenly, she is a target of harassment and racism. However, her dearest friend, her beloved dog, Dash, remains loyal: "He was a soft, furry blanket of love, keeping her warm and safe. Usually, he helped her forget her problems." Soon Mitsi's family is forcibly moved to Camp Harmony, where all is far from harmonious. Mitsi cannot take Dash and is heartbroken, but brightens when her neighbor Mrs. Bowker offers to care for Dash. While Mitsi struggles with the living conditions and a strained relationship with her family, she is strengthened by cheerful letters she receives "from Dash." They are her lifeline to her lost friend. Mitsi learns through adversity that "There were some things that could not be helped.... But she did have a choice about what she made of it."
Larson addresses the issue of the Japanese internment with age-appropriate facts and without being too graphic. She imparts an important history lesson--inspired by a true story--and softens its harder edges with Dash's charismatic and comforting presence. The book will appeal to history buffs as well as fans of Cynthia Kadohata's Weedflower. --Jessica Bushore, former public librarian and freelance writer