The Tiger’s Choice: Heroes by Ken Mochizuki and illustrated by Dom Lee
We don’t often think of picture books when we think of book group titles, but this month, that’s what the Tiger’s Choice offers. It’s one that is an ideal selection for adults and children to read and discuss together–created by two men, Ken Mochizuki and Dom Lee, who have provided a new defintion of what picture books can be.
Heroes follows their stunning debut, Baseball Saved Us, with a story as powerful and as provocative as their examination of the Japanese internment in the United States during World War Two. This time the story looks at peacetime America, and the difficulty of overcoming the vicious stereotyping that is the collateral damage of war.
One of the most moving and heroic stories from World War Two is the history of the Japanese American men who enlisted in the U.S. Army and formed the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, fighting in Europe and becoming “one of the most highly decorated units in U.S. Army history”–even though many of them had family members confined behind barbed wire fences in desolate internment camps. The strength of these soldiers’ patriotism and the bravery of their military exploits makes my hair stand on end when I read about them–and so does this book.
When Donnie plays war with the other kids, he’s always the enemy because, he’s told, “there wasn’t anybody looking like you on our side.” He knows that isn’t true. He’s heard his father and uncle talk about their time in the Army ; he’s seen their war medals. Yet he’s told, “Real heroes don’t brag” and “You kids should be playing something else besides war.”
But the war games don’t stop–they become more real and more frightening–and Donnie needs help.
Please read this book and add your comments to our final Tiger’s Choice discussion.
November 18th, 2008 at 8:08 am
I’ve got this book because I thought it was an important one to have. And now you’ve picked it as a Tiger’s Choice pick! Thanks!
November 18th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Hi Papertigers!
What a neat name for a blog! This is my first visit here, as part of the the Kidlit community Comment Challenge. I love your multicultural book mission. I write about big cats and, would you believe, accepting others, nurturance and tolerance. Thanks for encouraging these ideas.
Clare Bell
Author: Ratha series (Ratha’s Creature and sequels, including the new novel, Ratha’s Courage - A Cybil nominee!).
November 19th, 2008 at 5:08 am
It’s one of the few books that I brought with me that weren’t editing reference tomes (Chicago Manual of Style et al)
Happy that you have it too, Sally. Let’s chat about it here soon!
November 19th, 2008 at 5:10 am
Clare–so exciting to see you here–as a recovering bookseller (worked as one for most of my adult life), of course I have handled your books–now I’m off to find one of them to read! Thank you for dropping by.
November 24th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Since I read this book many years ago and didn’t own a copy, I borrowed it from my daughter’s school library to re-read– and I liked it even more this time around.
There are many aspects to this book, but the one I’d like to focus on, for the purpose of this comment, is how the kids in “Heroes” come to the conclusion that there are better ways to play, on their own (as it happens with the children in Kathy Beckwith’s “Playing War,” featured on the website this month). Donnie’s father and uncle never preach, never chastise the kids who are chasing Donnie. But by showing up at school in their US military uniforms with a football in their hands, they expose Donnie’s friends’ misconceptions and teach them a very important lesson: perception isn’t always reality… The last line of the story tells young readers all they need to know: “So we ran off to the playground. This time they were following me instead of chasing me.” Perhaps it’s no coincidence that both “Heroes” and “Playing War” present sporst as a natural alternative to war play.
Heroes’ basic story is perfect for the age group it’s intended–and for those ready to look at and examine things more deeply, there are opportunities for that as well.
November 24th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
Thank you, Aline–the sports versus war aspect makes this a great title to use in the classroom to offer alternatives to aggression and fighting. I wonder how many teachers use Heroes for that purpose?
December 4th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Janet -
I have been trying to track this book down but no luck so far. I did however read Ken’s book Baseball Saved Us. It literally moved me to tears. What a beautiful yet heart-wrenching story.