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POPULAR THEMES: We Are Not Strangers showcases universal themes of community, lost history, and social responsibility, which are subjects now more crucial than ever. The treatment of Japanese-American people during World War II, in particular, is a subject that has experienced a resurgence of public interest and discussion in recent years. Critically acclaimed graphic explorations of the subject such as Seen and Unseen: What Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake , and Ansel Adams's Photographs Reveal About the Japanese American Incarceration , which received a starred review from Publishers Weekly , have been published as recently as October 2022. UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE: Told from the point of view of a Jewish immigrant, Tuininga reveals a completely new and untold side of the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. TOPICAL: As the issues of racist law making and displacement remain all too relevant, We Are Not Strangers sheds a spotlight on how one man's actions can change the course of history for a community. EDUCATIONAL CONTENT: The book includes a foreword by celebrated author and Seattle resident Ken Mochizuki, an afterword by noted scholar Devin Naar, and back matter that adds depth and context. INCREDIBLE COMPS : The Best We Could Do and They Called Us Enemy are both excellent comps to this story, and given the enormous success of both those titles, we expect to see similar enthusiasm for this work. Inspired by a true story, this graphic novel follows a Jewish immigrant's efforts to help his Japanese neighbors while they are incarcerated during World War II. 'A powerful book about advocating for friends and neighbors during times of great division.' -Kazu Kibuishi, #1 New York Times bestselling author-illustrator of the Amulet series 'At its core, [...] a relatable tale of friendship, shared experiences of discrimination, and the power of individuals to make a difference.' - The Beat Introduction by award-winning author Ken Mochizuki Afterword by Devin Naar, author of Jewish Salonica Marco Calvo always knew his grandfather, affectionately called Papoo, was a good man. After all, he was named for him. A first-generation Jewish immigrant, Papoo was hardworking, smart, and caring. When Papoo peacefully passes away, Marco expects the funeral to be simple. However, he is caught off guard by something unusual. Among his close family and friends are mourners he doesn't recognize -Japanese American families -and no one is quite sure who they are or why they are at the service. How did these strangers know his grandfather so well? Set in the multicultural Central District of Seattle during World War II and inspired by author Josh Tuininga's family experiences, We Are Not Strangers explores a unique situation of Japanese and Jewish Americans living side by side in a country at war. Following Papoo's perspective, we learn of his life as a Sephardic Jewish immigrant and his friendship with Sam Akiyama, a Japanese man whose life is upended by Executive Order 9066, which authorized the incarceration of nearly all Japanese Americans and residents of Japanese ancestry. Determined to keep Sam's business afloat while he and his family are unjustly imprisoned, he and Papoo create a plan that will change the Akiyama's lives forever. An evocative and beautiful color-illustrated historical fiction graphic novel revealing the truth of one man's extraordinary efforts, We Are Not Strangers converges two perspectives into a single portrait of a community's struggle with race, responsibility, and what it truly means to be an American.
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