This 2006 picture book hits harder than most history documentaries. You’re looking at the Topaz internment camp through the eyes of a girl named Mari. It’s bilingual (English and Japanese), which adds a layer of authenticity that’s usually missing from these types of stories.
The art is the star here. It’s not just pretty pictures; it’s about how drawing helps a kid process the fact that her government just shoved her family into the desert for no good reason. It’s heavy, but it’s the good kind of heavy that actually makes a kid think.
If you’re worried it’s too 'educational' to be interesting, don't be. The sunflowers are a great hook for younger kids to understand the concept of hope without you having to give a lecture on resilience.