Dash (Dogs of World War II Series)

by Kirby Larson

Overview

New from Newbery Honor author Kirby Larson, the moving story of a Japanese-American girl who is separated from her dog upon being sent to an incarceration camp during WWII.

Although Mitsi Kashino and her family are swept up in the wave of anti-Japanese sentiment following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Mitsi never expects to lose her home -- or her beloved dog, Dash. But, as World War II rages and people of Japanese descent are forced into incarceration camps, Mitsi is separated from Dash, her classmates, and life as she knows it. The camp is a crowded and unfamiliar place, whose dusty floors, seemingly endless lines, and barbed wire fences begin to unravel the strong Kashino family ties. With the help of a friendly neighbor back home, Mitsi remains connected to Dash in spite of the hard times, holding on to the hope that the war will end soon and life will return to normal. Though they've lost their home, will the Kashino family also lose their sense of family? And will Mitsi and Dash ever be reunited?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545662826
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	08/26/2014
Series:	Dogs of World War II Series
Sold by:	Scholastic, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	544,299
Lexile:	570L (what's this?)
File size:	6 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

A snippet of a family story transformed Kirby Larson from history-phobe to history fanatic; her debut historical novel, Hattie Big Sky, earned a Newbery Honor. She’s pursued her passion for historical fiction with titles such as Hattie Ever After, Duke, Dash, Liberty, and Code Word Courage and combined her love for both history and mystery in Audacity Jones to the Rescue, and Audacity Jones Steals the Show. Ironically, the next two books for this history lover are contemporary fiction, including the second title in the Shermy and Shake series, Shermy and Shake: The Not-So-Nice Neighbor, and Gut Reaction, which is co-written with her daughter Quinn Wyatt. Kirby lives in Kenmore Washington with her husband Neil and very naughty dog Raleigh.

Read an Excerpt

From DASHMitsi skirted around a puddle. It used to be that her friends thought Japanese things were nifty, like Obaachan's kimonos and celebrating Hina Matsuri. Last year, Judy and Mags had come over before the party to set out the hina dolls and help make the rice balls. Now, they were taking sides with Patty Tibbets. There wasn't a red umbrella big enough to shield Mitsi from that kind of rain. A few blocks from home, she passed some junior high boys hanging out in front of the Higo 10 cent Store, pretending to smoke candy cigarettes. "Hey!" One of them called out to her. Mitsi didn't answer. She kept walking. The boys followed. She walked faster. They walked faster. Mitsi ran. They ran. Right in front of the Nelsons' old house, Mitsi tripped and fell. Her book bag went flying. A boy in a plaid jacket snatched it up and yanked out Mitsi's report. "Aww. Iddin dat sweet? A paper about doggies." He ripped it into shreds, tossing them into the air. "Look, it's snowing!" A scrap with Miss Wyatt's green ink words -- Another fine job, Mitsi -- landed on Mitsi's coat. The boy dumped the book bag out on the soggy ground. A second boy kicked her books into a puddle. All of them. Even her new sketch pad. Knees stinging, Mitsi pushed herself up off the sidewalk. Blood oozed around the edges of the ragged holes in her stockings. Tears boiled at the back of her eyes. "Serves you right." The boy in the plaid jacket glared. He and his buddies formed a ring around her. "Remember Pearl Harbor, remember Pearl Harbor," they chanted.

Editorial Reviews

06/01/2014
Gr 3–6—After Pearl Harbor, life changes for fifth grader Mitzi Kashino and her family, as it did for all Japanese American citizens across the US during that time. Family and friends are shunned, bullied, fingerprinted, and even incarcerated for visiting Japan. Relocation from Seattle, WA to Camp Harmony, and ultimately to Minidoka, ID, causes the loss of jobs, school, homes, cars, and personal possessions. Pets were not allowed in the camps, and this is where Mitzi's dog Dash becomes the linchpin in Larson's story. Recognizing the injustice, neighbor Mrs. Bowker does not hesitate to foster Dash for the Kashino family, and she regularly sends letters "from" Dash to Mitzi. The other interned residents anticipate news from the dog, which effectively lifts spirits and encourages a sense of community. Although not as detailed as Winifred Conkling's Sylvia and Aki (Tricycle Press, 2011), both titles complement one another as fictionalized stories of actual events, and share the theme of courage and dignity in the face of injustice. Dash fills a niche between picture books like The Bracelet by Uchida Yoshiko (Penguin, 1993) and Barbed Wire Baseball by Marissa Moss (Abrams, 2013) and works for older audiences such as Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata (S. & S., 2006) and Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston (Houghton Mifflin, 1973). Larson's latest is historical fiction at its best.—Sharon Lawler, Texas Bluebonnet Award Committee

School Library Journal

Praise for Dash:Winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical FictionA Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year*"Emotionally satisfying and thought-provoking." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review*"[A] trenchant novel." — Publishers Weekly, starred review"Historical fiction at its best." — School Library JournalPraise for Duke:*"Exceptionally well-crafted and emotionally authentic." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review*"[An] incisive tale of loyalty, patriotism, sacrifice, and bravery." — Publishers Weekly, starred review"A good example of how bravery comes in all shapes, sizes — and breeds." — BooklistPraise for Dear America: The Fences Between Us:"Larson deftly folds historical detail into Piper's lively diary entries, which describe her friendships, first romance, and school dramas as well as her view of the subsequent internment of Japanese Americans and the prejudice against sympathizers." — Booklist"Larson does an excellent job recreating the tension Piper feels. . . . [a] well-researched novel." — VOYAPraise for Hattie Big Sky:A Newbery Honor Recipient*"[An] engaging historical novel... [Larson] creates a richly textured novel full of memorable characters." — Booklist, starred review*"Larson... create[s] a masterful picture of the homesteading experience and the people who persevered." — School Library Journal, starred review"Refreshing." — Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

From the Publisher