Kazuko and the Gardens of Manzanar

An historical fiction memoir of a Japanese-American child's experience with her family in the Manzanar internment camp during World War II, as told through her drawings.

The Sato family was torn from their pre-war San Jose, California, family life near the beginning of World War II. The Japanese military's attack on the Pearl Harbor Naval Base in 1941 ignites fear of Japanese-American citizens. They are forced to travel to and live in internment camps. Despite the hardships, Kazuko and her family find solace in each other, camp activities, educational opportunities, and even a gardening contest. After the war, the family again must adjust as they return to a changed world.

The story highlights the resilience of children in the face of hardship and injustice, and the preservation of human dignity under harsh conditions.