A review by yapha
While I Was Away by Waka T. Brown

5.0

This powerful memoir takes place in 1984, when the author was sent from Kansas to Japan to live with family for 5 months because her mother felt she wasn't acting Japanese enough. Based on her memories as well as journals and letters written at the time, the range of emotions are real and raw. Waka attended 5 months of 6th grade in Japanese school, and did in fact accomplish her mother's goals of reading, writing, and speaking Japanese fluently. She also connected with her cousins and grandmother. She also had to deal with missing her friends and family, feeling like an outsider, being teased, and of course the friend drama that is pervasive in middle school everywhere. Readers will connect with Waka and be drawn into her story. Highly recommended for grades 4 & up.