So Far From The Bamboo Grove

So Far From The Bamboo Grove

by Yoko Kawashima Watkins

Contrasting Year of Impossible Goodbyes in many ways, beginning with the fact that this book follows a young Japanese girl living in northern Korea during the Japanese occupation of Korea. A completely different perspective, this book is a great companion to the other novel as a way to introduce to children the idea that some situations aren't as black and white as they seem. There isn't always a "good side" and a "bad side." I really enjoyed reading this book and found myself unable to put it down. Watkins gets inside the sad, crazy events in the little girl's tough life, thoroughly describing them with lots of detail and emotion. Even though this book includes some mature content, the author addresses these events with tact and in such a way that I would feel comfortable using this book with elementary students; I would, however, still recommend the content of this book for grades 3 and up.