About this book

Amy is a thirteen-year-old Japanese-American girl who lives in Hawaii. When her great-grandmother falls ill, Amy travels to visit family in Hiroshima for the first time. But this is 1941. When the Japanese navy attacks Pearl Harbor, it becomes impossible for Amy to return to Hawaii. Conscripted into translating English radio transmissions for the Japanese army, Amy struggles with questions of loyalty and fears about her family amidst rumors of internment camps in America -- even as she makes a new best friend and, over the years, Japan starts to feel something like home. Torn between two countries at war, Amy must figure out where her loyalties lie and, in the face of unthinkable tragedy, find hope in the rubble of a changed world.

Reviews

Praise for Pearl:

American Booksellers Association Indie Next Pick

Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Recipient of five starred reviews

★ "The titular pearl is a beautifully executed symbol of hope, survival, and life that also reflects Amy’s struggles with her identity as Japanese and American. By turns devastating and uplifting, a powerful testament to the human will to survive -- and thrive." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "A thing of great beauty and wonder growing as a response to friction and injury, a pearl is an inspired, indelible metaphor for this luminous, poignant coming-of-age tale set against harrowing, heart-wrenching real life events." -- Booklist, starred review

★ "Harrowing scenes of violence and tragedy are depicted by Norrie in a haunting progression of inky black panels while a muted blue and white palette adds ethereal ambiance to Amy’s everyday life. Paired with carefully plotted dialogue and character interactions by Smith, the creators emphasize Amy’s struggles to heed her sōsobo’s advice: 'ikinokoru,' or 'you must survive.'" -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ "Black-and-white illustrations colored with a solemn slate blue make expert use of the format to tell this painful and little-known history of Japanese American “strandees” whose stories often went untold for fear of American retaliation against “traitors.” -- The Horn Book, starred review

★ "Amy’s triumphant tale is a reminder to treasure the beauty of life even with all its scars by surviving and thriving in times of adversity." -- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

"A story of resilience and identity in the face of extreme events... A fine graphic novel that navigates tumultuous historic events." -- School Library Journal

"A truly beautiful story, artfully told." -- School Library Journal's Good Comics for Kids Blog

"A deft and affecting historical graphic novel collaboration about a Japanese American teen's complex experiences of World War II in Japan." -- Shelf Awareness

"Smith’s poignant story is enhanced by Norrie’s elegant blue, black and white art." -- The Washington Post

"The creative team uses symbolic imagery to boil down complex emotions into visuals that invite the reader to project their own feelings, providing a deeply personal entryway into World War II history." -- The A.V. Club

"Anyone who thinks comics are just for kids can start right here." -- Parade

"The story of Amy’s great-grandmother, who was once a pearl diver, is interwoven to great effect with Amy’s own tale of survival, and the well-calibrated balance of text, images, and white space makes Pearl a particularly powerful read." -- Literary Hub

"A haunting but uplifting story of identity and survival... Smith and Norrie handle a sensitive, often forgotten, moment of American history with delicacy and tenderness." -- The Beat

"Amy’s struggle with the dual facets of her nationality feels both realistic and compelling, and her efforts to survive war and understand herself are moving. Particularly moving are the beautiful illustrations... This graphic novel is an accessible, engaging book, perfect for middle-grade readers and older." -- Historical Novels Review

"A poignant, moving story about a Japanese American girl living in Japan during WWII. Introduces a rarely seen point-of-view that challenges much of what we’ve learned about Japan during the war. A must-read for its history and character complexity.” -- Chris Abouzeid, bookseller, Belmont Books in Belmont, MA