When I first picked up the book Heart of a Samurai I wondered if I would like it because the cover, which had a whale and some fishermen on it, made me think of Melville’s Moby Dick, a book that I didn’t enjoy. To my delight, Preus’ story about Nakahama Manjiro, a shipwrecked young Japanese man who comes to the United States to start a new life, captivated me from the very beginning. Not only was the story of Manjiro full of adventure and history, I got a feel for what it might be like to move to another country and encounter the culture and people of that new land. From the well-realized settings to a character full of depth and life, this was a book that far exceeded my expectations. At the end of the book Ms. Preus included a wealth of information about the real Manjiro and his life in Japan and in the United States.
Publisher’s Weekly, a national book magazine, recently included the book Heart of a Samurai on its 2010 Best Books for Children list. The Sullivan University Library and Learning Resource Center has this well-written book about a remarkable young man, and anyone who is interested may borrow it from the library. Here is a link to more information about the book, and one of the librarians will be glad to help you find it on the shelf if you want to read it.
Publisher’s Weekly, a national book magazine, recently included the book Heart of a Samurai on its 2010 Best Books for Children list. The Sullivan University Library and Learning Resource Center has this well-written book about a remarkable young man, and anyone who is interested may borrow it from the library. Here is a link to more information about the book, and one of the librarians will be glad to help you find it on the shelf if you want to read it.
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