Hunt For The Bamboo Rat

“A gripping saga of wartime survival.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Based on a true story, this World War II novel by Scott O’Dell Award winner Graham Salisbury tells how Zenji, 17, is sent from Hawaii to the Philippines to spy on the Japanese. Zenji Watanabe was born in Hawaii. He’s an American, but the Japanese wouldn’t know it by the look of him. And that’s exactly what the US government is counting on. Because he speaks both English and Japanese perfectly, the army recruits Zenji for a top-secret mission to spy on the Japanese. If they discover his true identity, he’ll be treated as a traitor and executed on the spot. As World War II boils over in the Pacific, Zenji is caught behind enemy lines. But even though his Japanese heritage is his death warrant, it’s also his key to outwitting the enemy and finding the strength to face the terrors of battle, the savagery of the jungle, and the unspeakable cruelty of war. The riveting Hunt for the Bamboo Rat is based on a true story and follows in the path of author Graham Salisbury’s other highly acclaimed Prisoners of the Empire titles, which began with the award-winning Under the Blood-Red Sun. Finalist for: Nebraska Golden Sower Award South Carolina Book Awards "Salisbury has once again crafted a fine novel, based on an actual person, about first-generation Americans of Japanese descent and the clash of culture and national identity that World War II accentuated. . . . The story will leave readers spellbound." —Kirkus Reviews, Starred "Fast-paced and compelling, this title will be enjoyed by voracious and reluctant readers." —SLJ "The history is fascinating, and Zenji is a fictional hero readers will long remember." —The Horn Book

“A gripping saga of wartime survival.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Based on a true story, this World War II novel by Scott O’Dell Award winner Graham Salisbury tells how Zenji, 17, is sent from Hawaii to the Philippines to spy on the Japanese. Zenji Watanabe was born in Hawaii. He’s an American, but the Japanese wouldn’t know it by the look of him. And that’s exactly what the US government is counting on. Because he speaks both English and Japanese perfectly, the army recruits Zenji for a top-secret mission to spy on the Japanese. If they discover his true identity, he’ll be treated as a traitor and executed on the spot. As World War II boils over in the Pacific, Zenji is caught behind enemy lines. But even though his Japanese heritage is his death warrant, it’s also his key to outwitting the enemy and finding the strength to face the terrors of battle, the savagery of the jungle, and the unspeakable cruelty of war. The riveting Hunt for the Bamboo Rat is based on a true story and follows in the path of author Graham Salisbury’s other highly acclaimed Prisoners of the Empire titles, which began with the award-winning Under the Blood-Red Sun. Finalist for: Nebraska Golden Sower Award South Carolina Book Awards "Salisbury has once again crafted a fine novel, based on an actual person, about first-generation Americans of Japanese descent and the clash of culture and national identity that World War II accentuated. . . . The story will leave readers spellbound." —Kirkus Reviews, Starred "Fast-paced and compelling, this title will be enjoyed by voracious and reluctant readers." —SLJ "The history is fascinating, and Zenji is a fictional hero readers will long remember." —The Horn Book

Tomi was born in Hawaii. His grandfather and parents were born in Japan, and came to America to escape poverty. World War II seems far away from Tomi and his friends, who are too busy playing ball on their eighth-grade team, the Rats. But then Pearl Harbor is attacked by the Japanese, and the United States declares war on Japan. Japanese men are rounded up, and Tomi’s father and grandfather are arrested. It’s a terrifying time to be Japanese in America. But one thing doesn’t change: the loyalty of Tomi’s buddies, the Rats.

1943, one year after the end of Under the Blood-Red Sun, Tomi’s Papa and Grandpa are still under arrest, and the paradise of Hawaii now lives in fear—waiting for another attack, while trying to recover from Pearl Harbor. As a Japanese American, Tomi and his family have new enemies everywhere, vigilantes who suspect all Japanese. Tomi finds hope in his goal of raising Papa’s fishing boat, sunk in the canal by the Army on the day of the attack. To Tomi, raising Papa’s boat is a sign of faith that Papa and Grandpa will return. It’s an impossible task, but Tomi is determined. For just as he now has new enemies, his struggle to raise the boat brings unexpected allies and friends.

DYLAN'S SCOUT TROOP goes camping in Halape, a remote spot below the volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. The only thing wrong with the weekend on a beautiful, peaceful beach is Louie, a tough older boy. Louie and Dylan just can't get along.That night an earthquake rocks the camp, and then a wave rushes in, sweeping everyone and everything before it. Dylan and Louie must team up on a dangerous rescue mission. The next hours are an amazing story of survival and the true meaning of leadership.

In the spirit of of Where the Red Fern Grows and Because of Winn Dixie, this is a contemporary classic in the making about a boy and his dog, and a choice that will test their loyalty and trust. Danny Mack is a rising rodeo star in rural Oregon. He lives on a ranch with his older brother, their dad, and his faithful border collie, Banjo. Late one night, Danny is awakened by gunshots. Banjo has been wounded. The neighbors claim he was going after their livestock, which gives them the right to shoot the dog or have him put down. Dad reluctantly agrees. They must obey the law. Danny knows Banjo is innocent, and comes up with a desperate plan to save him--but something goes terribly wrong. Days later, on a distant ranch, Meg Harris finds a frightened dog alone in the woods. Banjo. She takes him home and searches for the dog's owner, furious that he was abandoned. She's not going to give Banjo up easily. Told by Danny and by Meg, this fast-paced, heartrending novel explores the deep connection between humans and animals, and reminds readers that you can't judge an animal--or a person--before you know their story.

Forced into an internment camp at the start of World War II, eighteen-year-old Yuki enlists in the Army to fight for the Allies as a member of the "Four-Four-Two," a segregated Japanese American regiment.

In this rich collection, Salisbury’s love for Hawaii and its encircling sea shines through every story. Readers will share the rush a boy feels when he leaps off a cliff into a ravine or feasts his eyes on a beautiful woman. They’ll find stories that show what it takes to survive prep school, or a hurricane, or the night shift at Taco Bell, or first love. Graham Salisbury knows better than anyone what makes an island boy take chances. Or how it feels to test the waters, to test the limits, and what it’s like when a beloved older brother comes home from war, never to be the same.

It's the autumn of 1863, and as the Civil War rages, a stranger named Violet seeks refuge with the Kelly family. Peg Kelly, 11, is thrilled—Violet treats her like an adult, not a child. Violet is fleeing Confederate raiders and has information that may save the Union. But she can't deliver her message unless she takes a dangerous journey.

Eleven interlinked stories tell the tale of a boy coming of age in Kailua-Kona, a Hawaiian fishing village. Sonny Mendoza is a little different from the rest of the men in his family. Salisbury explores characters like Aunty Pearl, a full-blooded Hawaiian as regal as the queens of old; cool Jack, from L.A., who starts a gang and dares Sonny to be brave enough, cruel enough, to join; mysterious Melanie, who steals his heart; and Deeps, the shark hunter. But the most memorable character is the sea itself: inviting, unpredictable, deadly. Mendoza men are brave men, but Sonny's courage is of a different kind. Why can't he love and trust the water as the men of his family are meant to do?