As a Hawaiian who lived on the same island, it’s really interesting to read these stories from a personal lenses of what had happened during those times. Reading this from a personal lease helps humanize history and also helps us realize that this didn’t happen 200 years ago or in the very distant past but within a persons lifetime and how it affects them to this day, as of right now 1941 is 82 years which is literally someone else’s age today and that’s crazy to think about and comprehend. I also love how the author is very empathetic and not at all beaming hatred to anyone in her book as well as she recounts her brief personal history with the USS Arizona as well. ( )

This was an amazing book, not only for historical purposes. Written in novel in verse, the story is told from a young girl’s POV, however, when it switches to Japan, the reader sees through the people of Japan’s POV. Readers need to read the afterword, written by the author to better understand the significance of the title. It was so interesting to learn about the lives lost on both sides of the war and how one change in your daily routine could change the path of your life. The illustrations throughout the story fit perfectly with the story, emphasizing the words. Very powerful! Definitely a must read for MS/HS. ( )

Beautifully illustrated, Lowry tells of her childhood memories of the attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii as well as her life in Japan after World War II. ( )

On the whole, I think this is a lovely little gem of a book, that explores some extraordinary connections in Lois Lowry's childhood.

I don't recommend starting with it as an audio book. While it is amazing to hear the book read by Lowry, I almost bailed out a couple of times in section 1 because I didn't understand where the book was going. It started to feel like a poetic tribute to each individual who died on the Arizona, and while that is moving and worthy, it also started to feel maudlin and sentimental. The second half of the book brings everything together and balances the experience of part 1. I think if I had a physical book to look at, I could have flipped through it a bit and understood what was happening.

I love the overall message. I think the connections are amazing. I think this is a great book to revisit a few times, and an effective way to help kids connect with the events of WWII. Sometimes that war feels fictional and far away -- this book reminds us that it is anything but.

Advanced Listening Copy provided by Libro.fm. ( )

Author Lois Lowry was born in Hawaii and lived there for the early years of her life. Her parents had a film camera and captured her youth on the island. Many, many years later, while looking at the old films, a friend noticed the U.S.S. Arizona in the background. The film was taken shortly before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Lowry was taken by the contrast between her innocent frolicking on the beach and the impending death of the soldiers on the ship. This book--part memoir, part history--told in verse, captures both the lives of the soldiers lost and the death and destruction in Hiroshima that followed.

To me, it is this balance, showing how war destroys those in its path, that gives this book its power. The poems of Pearl Harbor are beautiful and haunting, but having the more complete picture adds depth and nuance. A second coincidence adds even further resonance.

The poems take on a variety of forms. Ample room for discussion of verse form, history, and war make this a natural choice for ELA and social studies classes.