The Bracelet

The Bracelet
by Yoshiko Uchida
Illustrated by Joanna Yardley
32 Pages

This story is about a young Japanese-American girl named Emi. Emi and her family are forced to move because the government does not trust them because they are Japanese. Emi and her family have to leave behind everything the love and know. Emi’s best friend Laura gives her a braclet as a going away gift. She tells her to wear it and think of her. Emi and her family leave their home and move to the interment camp they are required to live in. Here Emi realizes she has lost the bracelet her friend gave her. She becomes so terribly upset. However, Emi realizes that maybe she doesn’t need the bracelet to remember her friend, she has memories in her heart to remember her old friend, home and life.

Personal Rating-5

This book is an excellent source to use to teach children about differences in races. It demonstrates how people disliked other races for no reason. This book could be used to teach children that you should not judge someone by the way they look. You should really get to know someone before you form opinions about them. Children could relate to the main character Emi. She had to leave behind her whole life because the government thought she couldn’t be trusted. Students will wonder why they thought they couldn’t trust her.