Unbreakable: A Japanese American Family in an American Incarceration Camp

Unbreakable follows Minoru (Min) and his family during World War II showing his experience in an incarceration center.

What I Liked: This book begins by introducing you to Minoru (Min) and his family before the tone shifts for this family as things change for Japanese Americans in the U.S. Throughout this book we follow Min as he loses his dad, his home, and his family’s business but remains strong holding to a stone his dad gave him before police took him away. This book is packed with a lot of heartbreaking moments in a way that is accessible for younger readers.

The ending of this book is packed full of information regarding American incarceration camps, the real moments included in this book, a timeline for the story, the campaign to get Tonai’s father released, a note from the author and illustration, and a few discussion questions to engage young readers after reading the book.

The illustrations throughout this book do a fantastic job of capturing the emotions, both sadness and joy, as various events take place. The illustrations shift colors depending on the tone of the book and the shades used match the feelings of the different parts of this story.

Final Verdict: Unbreakable is a emotional, and moving picture book that informs children about the experiences of a Japanese American boy and his family who are in a American incarceration center. This book does a great job of introducing younger readers to the harsh realities of this historical time without overwhelming them and allowing for questions from young readers.