Yoshiko Uchida

The Bracelet

By: Yoshiko Uchida

The Bracelet is a wonderful book for grades second through fifth. This book is set during 1942. A seven-year-old Emi is being sent from her home in Berkeley, California, to an internment camp with her mother and older sister. Before they go, Emi's friend, Laurie, gives her a gold heart bracelet to remember their friendship. Her father was arrested earlier and incarcerated in a camp in Montana. Temporarily herded into stables at a race track with other Japanese-American families, Emi realizes that she has lost the bracelet that her best friend, Laurie Madison gave her. At first desolate, she soon realizes that she does not need the token after all, as she will always carry Laurie in her heart and mind.

I read this book to my class when teaching them about memoir. This is an excellent example of how an object can hold memories and personal connection. This book also lets children look into a dark part of American’s history with Japanese-Americans where placed into camps.

Other books by Yoshiko Uchida: Jar of Dreams, Picture Bride, The Best Bad Thing, Journey Home and many more.