Something about this book has always intrigued me. After I read it, I knew why. This book has every element my middle school kids look for in a book. Baseball, gangs, bullies, strained family relationships, puppies, and misunderstood adolescents are the markers that will make the book familiar. I can feel my Mississippi kids balking at unfamiliarity related to setting and culture, so they will be glad to have those ideas and experiences to make the story more accessible. The deeper shocking and traumatic personal and family issues are what will make it disturbingly memorable. It is the middle school equivalent of Snow Falling on Cedars (which you should read if you missed it- the movie doesn't count). I've only ever taught middle school, so I don't know if this is unique to this age group; but these kids thrive on grappling with concepts of fairness, social injustice, and political responsibility. Those aren't the words they choose; those are the ideas that move them. I know this from their comments : "That's not fair." and "They can't do that." And how those comments shift to questions: "How can they do that?" and "How can they stand it?" I know for many of them that they are on the doorstep of "How did they stop it?" and "How do we keep it from happening again?" And perhaps what I wish for everyone of them: "What do I need to do?"I know it from their research on voter disenfranchisement, civil rights, and government shut downs. I know it from the way they word their public service announcements and the ways they demonstrate that they want to save the world from death and sadness. But more than anything, I learn it from the titles and authors they choose to read. From Things Not Seen to Stargirl, The Outsiders to Tears of a Tiger. From their love for Sharon Draper's and Laurie Halse Anderson's stories. From Hunger Games and Divergent series. From Milkweed, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, Prisoner B - 3087, Between Shades of Gray, Berlin Boxing Club, and Night. Under the Blood-Red Sun is straightforward. There is no complicated narrative structure or alternating point of view, but it delivers the back story the reader needs and plenty of perspective. 5th grade up would relate to this book. My tendency is to let kids be kids, so even though the reading is easy enough, the content is harsh for 4th and below. I would use this book as a lit circle, book buddy, extra credit, or ladder. Few students select it as free choice independent reading, It's been on my shelf for several years, rarely touched and never finished. I bought multiple copies this summer. I want my kids to meet Tomi. I hope his story helps them ask more questions, even if they don't know the answers.
Under the Blood-Red Sunby Graham SalisburyGrade Level Read Aloud: 5+ Grade Level Independent: 6+Genre: Historical Fiction Living in the mainland of the United States in the twenty-first century, it is hard to imagine what life might have been like for a Japanese American in Hawaii after the attacks on Pearl Harbor. In the story, Under the Blood-Red Sun, Graham Salisbury writes in the perspective of an eighth grade boy whose Japanese heritage changes his life drastically when the Japanese attacked America to begin World War II on December 7, 1941. This incredible story makes you second everything and look deeper into what we often overlook. Tomikazu, the main character, is introduced in the beginning as a boy living a normal life as a Japanese American at that time. As the story progresses you are introduced to the important people in his life and how they interact. He lives with his father a fisherman, his mother a maid, his little sister and his crazy loyal-to-Japan grandfather. He encounters bullies, has friendships and ultimately learns what is important in life. This book is a roller coaster of emotions and you never know what to expect. If you were to look up a World War II fiction book, most of them are about the Americans or Jewish people in Germany and we seldom hear of the Japanese Americans and the struggles that they went through. In this book you are able to look through the eyes of a boy who was Japanese and called America his home. I love that the author is able to show the struggle that he has between keeping the honor of his Japanese heritage, while also living the life of an American. Learning about other cultures is so important, especially in America because we are made up of such diverse people.It interested me that the author himself is from Hawaii and has written many books about WWII. I think that this helps to make the book more credible because he undoubtedly has come in contact with the people that he based his story on. He understands the races that make up the island of Honolulu and how they interacted then and now. I love knowing that he is knowledgeable on this subject because it makes the story that much more real.
Do You like book Under The Blood-Red Sun (2005)?
Under the Blood-Red Sun is a tale that follows the racial tension in Hawaii set off by the events of World War II. The young protagonist, Tomikazu, although born in Hawaii, faces discrimination along with his family and others of Japanese ancestry. The discrimination only increases after Pearl Harbor is bombed by Japan and the general population is on edge and questioning the loyalty of Japanese Americans. Graham Salisbury, being raised in Hawaii, has a firm depiction of the unique features of the islands and manages to implement the quirky interaction between local kids. As far as the plot and characters go, it is easy to follow, but lacking in complexity. Salisbury broadens the story's audience by diluting Hawaii's pidgin and creole, whether or not this is a negative feature is a matter of opinion -- it is definitely more comprehensible to outer audiences as a result.
—Shawnee Smith
I am reading a bit out of my usual genre this semester because I am in a class analyzing how children's and YA literature influences culture. Graham Salisbury's novel was the first book I read in our WWII unit.I really enjoyed Graham Salisbury's portrayal of Hawaii before and after Pearl Harbor. He introduced me both to a culture and a setting I was largely unfamiliar with. However, I worry a bit about the idea of an outsider writing about Japanese culture and whether these portrayals are accurate. The main reason for my three star rating is because I felt the book really dragged for the first half. As an adult reader, if I was bored I would worry that younger readers would be bored as well. I like the story Salisbury tells and with appropriate discussions in the classroom, it could provide a useful introduction to Japanese internment camps for younger readers.
—Emma Flaherty
Under The Blood Red Son is an emotional and page turning historical young-adult novel that puts you in the shoes of a young Japanese-American boy who witnessed the terrible Word War 2 bombings at Pearl Harbor. While he is a simple Hawaiian boy who shares much in common with his white friends—a love of baseball—his parents are proud and practicing Japanese folks whom get kidnapped in into internment camps. Facing the war-prejudices of his neighbors and the challenges of assuming the responsibilities as the “man of the house,” Tomi faces tough times with the help of his loyal baseball mates, and he learns the value of true friendships and family relationships. By using vivid imagery and narrating this powerful story through the voice of a teenage boy, Graham does a terrific job engaging his audience in Tomi’s emotional journey. Students would also feel the ethnic prejudice that millions of Japanese people had to endure in 1940’s America, navigating them through themes of war, distrust, innocence, love, faith and survival. This novel would be a terrific example of how many non-white people groups have suffered systemic oppression throughout history. Students can do a research project on how ancestors of their own heritage have suffered similar prejudices, and then locally and globally examine and seek solutions (like writing letters or raising awareness) for the oppressed minorities in the present day.
—English Education
