They Called Us Enemy
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$1899
Chapter Book · Graphic novel · Ages 12–18 · 2019 · Est. 1.5 hour read

They Called Us Enemy

By George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, Harmony Becker (Illustrator)

A boy's childhood unfolds in WWII American camps, questioning identity and resilience.

4.4/5 Goodreads · 57,101 ratings
204 pages· 12,726 words· Est. 1.5 hour read
$19.99Save 5%

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Bookroo's summary

George Takei's childhood is upended when his family is forced into WWII American camps. As a young boy, he navigates the harsh realities of life behind barbed wire, grappling with questions of identity and justice. His mother's sacrifices and father's unwavering belief in democracy shape his future. How does one find hope in a world of legalized racism? This graphic memoir explores the courage and resilience needed to redefine what it means to be American. Join Takei on a journey through history that challenges the very essence of freedom and belonging.

From the publisher

New York Times Bestseller!A stunning graphic memoir recounting actor/author/activist George Takei’s childhood imprisoned within American concentration camps during World War II. Experience the forces that shaped an American icon – and America itself – in this gripping tale of courage, country, loyalty, and love. George Takei has captured hearts and minds worldwide with his captivating stage presence and outspoken commitment to equal rights. But long before he braved new frontiers in Star Trek, he woke up as a four-year-old boy to find his own birth country at war with his father’s – and their entire family forced from their home into an uncertain future.In 1942, at the order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, every person of Japanese descent on the west coast was rounded up and shipped to one of ten relocation centers, hundreds or thousands of miles from home, where they would be held for years under armed guard.They Called Us Enemy is Takei’s firsthand account of those years behind barbed wire, the joys and terrors of growing up under legalized racism, his mother’s hard choices, his father’s faith in democracy, and the way those experiences planted the seeds for his astonishing future.What does it mean to be American? Who gets to decide? When the world is against you, what can one person do? To answer these questions, George Takei joins co-writers Justin Eisinger & Steven Scott and artist Harmony Becker for the journey of a lifetime.

Awards

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature (2020)
At a glance
Format
Paperback
Pages
204
Words
12,726
Reading age
12–18
Audience
Young Adult
Lexile
GN680L
Themes & topics
Books about prejudice and racismBooks about evacuation and relocationBooks about cultureBooks about historyBooks about places and regions
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The fine print

Book details

Reading levels
ATOS
4.6
F&P level
~P
AR points
2
AR interest level
MG+
AR quiz
504407
Publication
Published
July 16, 2019
Edition
Language
English
Type
Chapter Book · Graphic novel
Identifiers
ISBN
9781603094504

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