Read this when
They Called Us Enemy
George Takei was 5 when his family was sent to a camp for being Japanese American. 'They called us enemy.' He's been answering back ever since.
Who it's for
Takei tells the story of his family's forced removal and incarceration during World War II through the eyes of a five-year-old who at first sees it as an adventure, while the adults understand what's happening.
Feelings it meets
What it is
They Called Us Enemy is a 2019 graphic memoir by George Takei with Justin Eisinger and Steven Scott, illustrated by Harmony Becker and published by Top Shelf Productions. It recounts Takei's childhood in the camps where Japanese Americans were incarcerated during World War II, balancing the humour of daily life with the gravity of camp conditions.
Where to find it
In print from Top Shelf Productions (an expanded edition also exists), widely held in libraries (Libby/Hoopla). Not public domain. Frequently challenged in U.S. schools.
Before you start
Heads up: Racism and wartime incarceration.
Age: Ages 12+
You have seen how a man was made a slave; you shall see how a slave was made a man.Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Chapter X
