Content levels
Trigger warnings
Heroine archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Synopsis
Kiku is on vacation in San Francisco when suddenly she finds herself displaced to the 1940s Japanese-American internment camp that her late grandmother, Ernestina, was forcibly relocated to during World War II. These displacements keep occurring until Kiku finds herself "stuck" back in time. Living alongside her young grandmother and other Japanese-American citizens in internment camps, Kiku gets the education she never received in history class. She witnesses the lives of Japanese-Americans who were denied their civil liberties and suffered greatly, but managed to cultivate community and commit acts of resistance in order to survive. Kiku Hughes weaves a riveting, bittersweet tale that highlights the intergenerational impact and power of memory.
Tags
Is Displacement appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 13 and up.
Parents should know this graphic novel depicts the harsh realities of Japanese-American internment camps during WWII, including forced relocation, loss of civil liberties, and systemic racism. While not graphically violent, it addresses serious historical injustices and intergenerational trauma.
What to know going in
This book has moderate violence, no sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include captivity, death of family member, and grief (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Teens will connect with Kiku's journey as she's displaced through time to understand her grandmother's traumatic past and discover hidden history.