So Far From the Bamboo Grove

I thought that I knew all about WWII until I read this book. I suppose I did not fully understand the conflict that occured between Korea and Japan and based on the majority of literature about WWII, I too focused mostly on the European countries and The United States. I was amazed at the way this story had such persistance, much like the young girl in the story. From her point of view, she tells of her escape south out of Korea during WWII. She endured hardships and witness death. I felt that reading from a child's perspective seems to have a much more emotional impact on the reader. I found my heart aching for this girl and her family as I read her account of the tragedies that she suffered.

I find that it is important to expose children to this type of literature. Partly because this is a part of WWII that does not get as much exposure in the schools and also because understanding suffering is something that everyone will go through in their life. Children can understand things that we do not give them credit for and I believe that books like So Far From the Bamboo Grove can help to accomplish this. Children do understand suffering and from a child's perspective, they can relate this story to aspects of their own lives (much like I did).

Grades: 5-6th