So Far From the Bamboo Grove

So Far From The Bamboo Grove is a very powerful and amazing story of Yoko, a 12 year old Japanese girl in the middle of World War II. Her story is about the journey of her, her mother, and her oldest sister, Ko trying to make it to safety and not get captured by the Koreans. There were many points in this story that were so sad and depressing but it made me realize that these things actually did happen.

I think the main point of this story is that the Kawashima family is remarkably strong and they love each other very much. Mother just wants to get her girls to safety and try and find her son. I believe that she feels a sense of safety when they travel back to their homeland, Japan. She dies at the train station but I think she felt a little sense of piece knowing that her girls were safe and in school. Their family stays together despite the effects of war. The girls continue to show their mother great respect even while they are refugees. This shows that respect is a very important aspect to keeping a family together.

Another overlaying theme in the story is the relationship between the two sisters Yoko and Ko. Throughout their journey, Ko must take control and lead the family to safety. Right before their brother left, he told Ko to take care of the family. She takes the lead as Yoko's mother after mother dies at the train station. She keeps Yoko in school and does odd jobs in order to raise money.

One of the most interesting facts of the story is that Ko and Yoko had to dress like the enemy soldiers. They wore their uniforms and also shaved their heads to look like boys. I thought that this was very smart of them because it kept them alive. They were encountered by many men that wanted to rape them or harm them, but because they looked like boys, they were left alone. Also, the uniforms kept them from being killed because they didn't look like Japanese.

I really enjoyed this book and I know I will use it in my classroom if I teach older grades. I liked the story line and the devastation that the family went through is very relevant during a time like this. Our country is at war and the effects that the war has on others is a very important topic to discuss. I cannot wait to read Year of Impossible Goodbyes because the story perspective is from the opposite side of the war.