Himawari House / Harmony Becker.
Record details
- ISBN: 9781250235565 (trade)
- ISBN: 1250235561 (trade)
- ISBN: 9781250235572 (pbk.)
- ISBN: 125023557X (pbk.)
- Physical Description: 374 pages : chiefly illustrations ; 23 cm
- Edition: First edition.
- Publisher: New York, NY : First Second, 2021.
Content descriptions
Language Note: | In English with some Japanese. |
Awards Note: | Asian/Pacific American Award for Youth Literature winner, 2023 |
Search for related items by subject
Genre: | Graphic novels. |
Available copies
- 1 of 3 copies available at Kenton County.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 3 total copies.
Other Formats and Editions
Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Covington Branch | 741.5973 B395h 2021 (Text) | 33126025015128 | YA Graphic Novels | Available | - |
Erlanger Branch | 741.5973 B395h 2021 (Text) | 33126025015144 | YA Graphic Novels | Checked out | 04/17/2024 |
Independence Branch | YA Graphic Novels (Text) | ACQ0708846 | YA Graphic Novels | On order | - |
- School Library Journal Reviews : SLJ Reviews 2021 September
Copyright 2021 School Library Journal.Gr 9 Upâ Living in a foreign country is an immersive and often rewarding experience, but grappling with a new language can also be a struggle to keep one's head above water. Becker, who illustrated George Takei'sThey Called Us Enemy , pinpoints this sense of discovery and disorientation in her debut graphic novel. Nao, a Japanese American teenager, arrives in Tokyo for a gap year and quickly befriends her roommatesâbouncy Tina, who is Chinese Singaporean, and homesick Hyejung, who is Koreanâand interacts with two male Japanese roommates, Shinichi and Masaki. Together, the fast friends experience touchstones of Japanese lifeâcombini, izakaya, obaachans, cherry blossoms, and matsuri. But this is largely stage-setting for Becker's focus on language learning in context; speech bubbles written as subtitled Japanese become more complex as Nao's comprehension improves. There are countless intersecting modes of communication even within Nao's social circle: Tina's Singlish, Hyejung's thickly accented English, their paths to Japanese acquisition, and surly Masaki's fluent written but poorly spoken English. The ability to define oneself depends on the ability to communicate that self to others, and our heroes tackle language barriers head-on to articulate their identities in an exhausting, exhilarating year in Japan. Becker's art references manga and Japanese urban aesthetics playfully but not obsessively, reinforcing the book's themes of immersion and self-definition.VERDICT This lighthearted yet serious-minded journey of discovery will delight, educate, and challenge teens interested in language and cultural exploration.âEmilia Packard, Tokyo