I think Joy Kogawa’s book Naomi's Tree is really important, no just for little kids. It’s like a simpler version of her big book, Obasan, and its smaller book, Naomi's Road. It came out in 2008, and it talk about a sad time in the past when the Canadian government made Japanese Canadians leave home. I feel like the whole story centers on the cherry tree, the "Friendship Tree." It's a great idea. The tree is like the family's memories and their roots in Canada. When they get sent away, it’s a big, sudden breakup because of racism, you know? By making the tree act like a person, Kogawa makes that painful history softer and turns the true story to a story about staying connected and where you really belong in Canada.
I really like how she make the cherry tree the main character. It feels like a smart move because the tree can't move, so it’s like a solid witness to everything. When Naomi’s family are forcible to move, the tree just keeps growing and making fruit every years. I think using the cherry blossoms is cool because it connect back to Japan, showing that the first generation kept their traditions, even in Canada. The part about the tree sending its "song of love and peace" and using little animals to send messages was really sweet. Maybe she had to write it that way, so kids wouldn't too scared by the real, hard history.
I feel that in the end, Naomi's Tree is a smart, but simple book about losing stuff, being forgiven, and trying to make things right. The pain that Naomi feels being separated from the tree perfectly encapsulate the sad time, where they lost their possessions and old homes. The ending, which say Naomi might come back, does not fix the big historical problem. Instead, it gives a sense of peace because the tree is always loyal. I think this book are important for students to learn about Japanese Canadian history. It show that healing are not found by just undoing the wrong, but by seeing the strong bonds we have—a proof that love can beat the bad things a country does.
I think Joy Kogawa’s book Naomi's Tree is really important, no just for little kids. It’s like a simpler version of her big book, Obasan, and its smaller book, Naomi's Road. It came out in 2008, and it talk about a sad time in the past when the Canadian government made Japanese Canadians leave home. I feel like the whole story centers on the cherry tree, the "Friendship Tree." It's a great idea. The tree is like the family's memories and their roots in Canada. When they get sent away, it’s a big, sudden breakup because of racism, you know? By making the tree act like a person, Kogawa makes that painful history softer and turns the true story to a story about staying connected and where you really belong in Canada.
I really like how she make the cherry tree the main character. It feels like a smart move because the tree can't move, so it’s like a solid witness to everything. When Naomi’s family are forcible to move, the tree just keeps growing and making fruit every years. I think using the cherry blossoms is cool because it connect back to Japan, showing that the first generation kept their traditions, even in Canada. The part about the tree sending its "song of love and peace" and using little animals to send messages was really sweet. Maybe she had to write it that way, so kids wouldn't too scared by the real, hard history.
I feel that in the end, Naomi's Tree is a smart, but simple book about losing stuff, being forgiven, and trying to make things right. The pain that Naomi feels being separated from the tree perfectly encapsulate the sad time, where they lost their possessions and old homes. The ending, which say Naomi might come back, does not fix the big historical problem. Instead, it gives a sense of peace because the tree is always loyal. I think this book are important for students to learn about Japanese Canadian history. It show that healing are not found by just undoing the wrong, but by seeing the strong bonds we have—a proof that love can beat the bad things a country does.
