Dear Miss Breed: True Stories of the Japanese American Incarceration During World War II and a Librarian Who Made a Difference

My mom lived here after the Japanese were let out of internment and it brought back so many memories for her. A great read for anyone interested in history or a story of perseverance in an ugly time in America’s past.

My Japanese friend is sharing it with her grandchildren.

Joanne Oppenheim has created a masterpiece of writing and research. This book should be a must-have for anyone interested in this time period in history, social studies, and just plain human drama and courage. I really love the way she weaves together personal stories and regional and national events. It is a great way to show how great events have a personal side which is rich and complex, not the abbreviated, often cartoon-slogan way we get history in school. This is not a dis against the "nutshell" version of history that must be done in order to get through all of it in a school year, but it is vital that resources like this survive so that the more detailed realities will be known and remembered. Thank you Joanne. This is a great book and great writing.

This book describes in detail the horrors Japanese American citizens encountered after the bombing of Pearl Harbor simply because they were of Japanese ancestry. The letters to Miss Breed from the interned Japanese children, who had known her through the library, and her many acts of kindness towards them while they were in the concentration camps, is very inspiring and heartbreaking. This book is a must read for persons who want to have a better understanding of the injustices faced by innocent Japanese American citizens and how one brave woman made a difference in the lives of many children.

My wife and I both loved the book. It is a wonderful book and Joanne Oppenheim is an outstanding writer.The book should be ready by every adult in this country - especially the people that run this country. There are so many times that we have fallen far from the principles upon which this country was established. The book describes our treatment of the Japanese Americans during the second World War. There are many other similar examples: the practice of slavery, the way we destroyed the indigenous people that were here first, the prejudice against Jews and Blacks...the examples go on and on...

Gift

Having read this book, from our local library before, I was so enthralled with the story that I bought two copies, one to keep to reread and the second to give to a man, who at 8 years old, went through the same experience as these children did. I am recording his experiences, and those of his siblings and I'm sure that "Dear Miss Breed" will help revive some of the experiences, both good and bad. This book is too good not to share with others.

My step dad was in a camp as a young boy. This book was meaningful to him. All Americans should read this.