I really liked this book. It was a good story because all of the characters, especially the main character had a strong personality. In addition, I like how it showed me the american's point of view toward Japanese people at the time when Japan wanted to protect itself from all outside forces. I also liked how the boy was forced to make tough decisions, but he always came out on top.I would recommend it to anyone. “Heart of a Samurai” is a story of a boy named Manjiro whose fishing boat is sunk leaving him and his crew mates stranded only to be saved by an American whaling boat who takes them in. Unable to return to Japan, Manjiro accepts to learn English and learn from the western crew. He builds a tight relationship with the captain of the ship and decides to live as his adopted son in New England while the rest of his Japanese crew mates are left behind in Hawaii. After overcoming adversity as well as racism, Manjiro heads back west to collect his Japanese friends, and head back to his home in Japan. This book could be very beneficial for the classroom in more than one way. First, it would serve to be a good introduction to the clashing of cultures. Students can analyze how the two different cultures act with one another and their differences. The second could be a self-reflection on the story. Manjiro has to decide which culture he wants to associate himself with whether it be his Japanese friends or his new American friends. Students can reflect after reading this book on what their choice would be if they were in Manjiro’s shoes.Reference: Preus, M. (2010). Heart of a Samurai: Based on the true story of Nakahama Manjiro. New York: Amulet Books.
What do You think about The Heart Of A Samurai (2011)?
Better than I thought. Going to be a hard decathlon book. Lots of details...here we go...
—Ktfinchen06
