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cottonquilts's review against another edition
4.0
Rinko is a young Japanese American girl who enjoys life and is at that age where she’s trying to figure things out, mostly herself. She’s got a very strong, assertive mother who has such a good heart that she volunteers Rinko to live with a family friend who really needs an extra set of hands for the next month or so. Rinko doesn’t want to go, but she’s been raised to perform without complaint and she rises quite well to the occasion. Uchida deftly writes a coming of age story that is filled with several underlying themes that never weigh the story down. Uchida was the first Nissei (Japanese born American) to write about Japanese culture for young people. She wrote more than 30 books before passing away in 1992. May she rest in peace.
bittbee's review against another edition
5.0
Guys I'm beginning to notice that I read a lot more diverse titles when I was a kid than I thought I did. Good job, baby!Britt, well done.
Ok, review time. I ADORED this book when I read it as a kid. Rinko was so real and had such a fantastic voice. I wanted to be her best friend. And I was fascinated by all the Japanese cultural elements in this book, just as much as I was fascinated with the time period. There's a sort of wistful quality to this book, a sort of summer-days-of-childhood remembrance in the author's tone that made me nostalgic, even though I was only like 9 when I read it. It's stayed with me for over 15 years, a fond spot in my childhood reading experience, and one I plan to repeat because this is the kind of book that does not get less awesome as you age.
Ok, review time. I ADORED this book when I read it as a kid. Rinko was so real and had such a fantastic voice. I wanted to be her best friend. And I was fascinated by all the Japanese cultural elements in this book, just as much as I was fascinated with the time period. There's a sort of wistful quality to this book, a sort of summer-days-of-childhood remembrance in the author's tone that made me nostalgic, even though I was only like 9 when I read it. It's stayed with me for over 15 years, a fond spot in my childhood reading experience, and one I plan to repeat because this is the kind of book that does not get less awesome as you age.
sarahsthoughtsonbooks's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
It was nice to get more time with Rinko, but wow, I didn't remember finding her this annoying back in my middle school years. Or even in A JAR OF DREAMS.
Content Warnings: use of the word crazy to describe behaviors of one of the characters
Content Warnings: use of the word crazy to describe behaviors of one of the characters
Content Warnings
Minor: Chronic illness, Racism, Medical content, and Death of parent
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