by Margi Preus
First published 2010
When Manjiro's fishing boat sinks in 1841, he and his crewmates swim to safety on a barren island. An American whaling ship rescues them, but Japan's closed borders mean they cannot return home. Fourteen-year-old Manjiro throws himself into learning English and American customs during the long voyage. The ship's captain grows fond of the eager boy and adopts him, bringing Manjiro to his New England home. Manjiro adapts to American life, then travels west to California's gold fields. Years pass before he finally secures passage back to Japan, only to face imprisonment as a suspected foreign spy. His Western knowledge makes him valuable to Japan's rulers, who need to understand the outside world pressing at their borders. Manjiro must navigate between two cultures he now calls home, hoping to bridge the gap between East and West while pursuing his dream of samurai status.
Genres: historical-fiction, adventure, young-adult, 19th-century, asian-american
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Japan, New England, California
Period: 1841
305 pages · Hardcover · Amulet Books