Book cover of Displacement

Book description

Kiku is on vacation in San Francisco when suddenly she finds herself displaced to the 1940s Japanese-American internment camp that her late grandmother, Ernestina, was forcibly relocated to during World War II.

These displacements keep occurring until Kiku finds herself 'stuck' back in time. Living alongside her young grandmother and…

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Why read it?

4 authors picked Displacement as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This is a historical fiction graphic novel and a time-travel story that pulled me in immediately.

The main character, Kiku, goes back in time and experiences her grandmother’s time in the Japanese Internment camps. Even though I have read several novels about this topic, the illustrations accompanying the story proved very powerful for me and led to a new level of understanding.

This story is timely and impactful and draws connections to the present. It is a reminder that history is cyclical and that displacement can happen to any group of people.

From KG's list on understanding the impact of war.

This book explores family history and heritage, but this time with time travel. The art here is gorgeous, and I love how Kiku discovers more about her family’s legacy of resilience and strength through her time travel.

Kiku Hughes’s graphic novel is about a girl in San Francisco who travels back in time to witness her grandmother’s interment. My kid said, “Displacement brings up important issues and talks about historical events while having an interesting story. I feel like that’s hard to do. It’s also a graphic novel with really nice art.”

My kid thought it was a really thought-provoking read, and she kept talking about it for months afterward.

If you love Displacement...

Book cover of Lily Starling and the Voyage of the Salamander

Lily Starling and the Voyage of the Salamander by Christian Hurst,

When seventeen-year-old Lily Starling is found in San Francisco with no memory of who she is, her search for answers pulls her into a future she never imagined. Taken aboard the Union starship Salamander, she becomes entangled in a mission that will test the limits of identity, loyalty, and courage.

This book depicts the complexities of generational trauma. Kiku, our protagonist, discovers that she can go back in time and experience what her ancestors went through during the second world war. Kiku Hughes dives into the daily lives of citizens living in Japanese internment camps. It’s a brave look at the complicated relationship a person can have with the place they live in, given the difficulties their ancestries have gone through. Also, Kiku Hughes is an amazing illustrator. The bulk of the storytelling is through her depictions of the United States throughout different decades. 

If you love Displacement...

Book cover of Lily Starling and the Voyage of the Salamander

Lily Starling and the Voyage of the Salamander by Christian Hurst,

When seventeen-year-old Lily Starling is found in San Francisco with no memory of who she is, her search for answers pulls her into a future she never imagined. Taken aboard the Union starship Salamander, she becomes entangled in a mission that will test the limits of identity, loyalty, and courage.

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