Stars in the Window — Anne Alexander Bingham

STARS IN THE WINDOW is an historical novel written for middle grade readers. When eleven-year-old Jessie meets Mrs. Sakamoto her life is changed. It is 1943 and the U.S. is at war with Japan. Jessies Dad is an officer on a ship in the Pacific. When Mom hires Mrs. Sakamoto to help in the family flower shop, Jessie finds a warm friend who teaches her about chopsticks, Ikebana flower arranging, and origami. Mrs. Sakamoto had been released from Amache, a Japanese internment camp, and Jessie struggles to understand the difference between an enemy and her Japanese-American friend. The story depicts life on the U.S. home front during WW II, with rationing, blackouts, and victory gardens. The reader will also relate the story to present day issues: prejudice and response to cultural and racial diversity, fear of those who are national enemies, and a pre-adolescent culture that involves snubbing and cliques. Imbedded in the story are parallels with today in conservation and recycling, suspicion of Muslims, and need to understand and relate to members of a culture different from mainstream America.