As the daughter of an Army dentist, beloved author Lois Lowry spent her childhood in locations all over the world.  When Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941, she was a 4-year-old living in Honolulu.  Only a few years after the bombing of Hiroshima in 1945, her family moved to Tokyo, Japan.  Although Lowry knew she had been living in close proximity to the locations where two major historical events occurred, it wasn't until much later that she realized just how impactful they had been on her.  While rewatching a home movie of herself as a young child playing on a beach in Hawaii around 1939 or 1940, she noticed for the first time the ghostly image of a ship on the horizon in the background.  An acquaintance made the startling announcement that it was, in fact, the USS Arizona.  The image of the doomed vessel haunted Lowry, inspiring her to write On the Horizon.  Written in verse, her newest discusses both bombings, interspersing her own memories with the stories of other real people—both American and Japanese—whose lives were changed by what happened at Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima.

Aimed at young children, On the Horizon is presented in a clear, easy-to-read format.  Don't let its surface simplicity fool you, however, because this small book is hugely impactful.  War is an impossible subject to understand, even for adults, and reading about it can be difficult.  On the Horizon is no exception.  Lowry's verses humanize the suffering experienced at Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima, creating an emotional reading experience that is heart-wrenching and profound.  I've read hundreds of books about World War II; On the Horizon may be the one that has touched me most deeply.  It takes just minutes to read this incredible book, but its impact will linger long, long after you finish it.  The devastating effects of war should never be forgotten—Lowry guarantees they won't be with her most personal and affecting World War II book to date.  

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of other children's books about World War II, although no specific titles are coming to mind.  You?)

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I don't know many authors personally - okay, I don't know any - but I do have a connection (however tenuous) with Graham Salisbury . Although I've never met him, I do know his ex-wife and a couple of his kids. In fact, his daughter Melanie was my younger brother's good friend. I heard rumors her dad was a writer, but that's all I knew. Fast forward a few years...I found myself sitting in a college classroom listening to a presentation by a visiting children's author. We were given extra credit points for attending these lectures, so I had chosen this one at random. Imagine my surprise when I realized it was Graham Salisbury - Melanie's dad. He was an excellent speaker, but I never checked out any of his books. Well, the other day, I was at the library scanning the shelves for Lemony Snicket books (I'm on #4), and I happened to see several of Salisbury's novels. So, I grabbed Under the Blood-Red Sun, read it and really enjoyed it.

The story revolves around Tomikazu "Tomi" Nakaji, a Japanese-American eighth-grader living on Oahu in 1941. Tomi lives with his father, a fisherman; his mother, a maid; his ornery grandpa; and his little sister, Kimi. While the Nakaji's shack is less than luxurious, life is pretty good for Tomi. Beating the Kaka'ako Boys in baseball is his biggest worry. Until December 7, when Tomi and his friend Billy spot smoke billowing up from Pearl Harbor. Suddenly, the far-off war has hit Hawaii, and the Nakaji's friends and neighbors are eyeing them with suspicion. As Tomi describes it: "It felt strange, like people were sneaking glances at us ... I realized that what that lady saw wasn't just a boy and his mother...What she saw was a Japanese boy, and his Japanese mother" (131). It doesn't help that Tomi's grandpa still clings desperately to the souveniers of his life in Japan - a flag, their family's katana (an heirloom sword), and an altar for his dead wife. Burying the items makes the Nakajis feel safer...for a time. Then, they receive news they have feared since the attack at Pearl Harbor - Tomi's father, Taro, has been shot and jailed. Without Taro's income to support the family, the Nakajis have little food or kerosene. Tomi wants only to go back to life as it was - school and baseball - but his world has changed forever. When his grandpa is also arrested, Tomi becomes the man of the house, a position that requires him to be strong despite the fact that his whole life is falling apart...The story ends at this point, continuing in the sequel, House of the Red Fish.

The beginning of the book drags a little, although Salisbury does a fine job of introducing readers to life on Oahu. The characters' accents ring true, as do the descriptions of scenery and daily life. Once Pearl Harbor is attacked, the story picks up pace and races to a heartbreaking finale. Although packed with action, the book is really about a friendship - between Japanese-American Tomi and his haole friend Billy - and how the war changes the boys and their relationship with each other. Salisbury also describes the plight of Japanese-Americans in this period with honesty and compassion. It's an authentic, touching story and I'm not just saying that because I know the author...well, okay, sort of know. It really is a great story - I can't wait to read the sequel.