This Land We Call Home by Alison Lohans

I decided to choose this book , " This Land We Call Home" by Alison Lohans as this month's book review.Paula and Ken, both 13 and in grade eight, bear a huge responsibility for helping their parents harvest the crops on their neighbouring farms close to Reedley, CA. Ken is a Japanese American.As the war overseas escalates, so do the tensions in the San Joaquin Valley where the Harmon's and Nishimura's live and work.Ken and his family are considered enemies because of World War II. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Ken and his family are forced to go to a camp in the desert where the living conditions are horrible. Paula and her family grieve for the loss of their son and brother, David. Paula misses her friend Ken and his family and worries how they are coping, anxiously waiting for a letter from Ken. Her Grandpop Harmon goes to live on the Nishimura's farm to try and save it for them and to prevent others from burning it to the ground. Paula needs to assume even more responsibilities, but she is determined to help her Grandpop so that Ken and his family have a viable farm to come back to.

The moral values that I have learned in this book is determination.  After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Ken and his family are forced to go to a camp in the desert . Paula misses her friend Ken and his family and worries how they are coping, anxiously waiting for a letter from Ken.Her Grandpop Harmon goes to live on the Nishimura's farm to try and save it for them and to prevent others from burning it to the ground. Paula needs to assume even more responsibilities, but she is determined to help her Grandpop so that Ken and his family have a viable farm to come back to.

Responsibility is shown by the two character , Paula and Ken. Paula's Grandpop Harmon is seriously hurt in a car accident. Paula's father needs to go to San Diego to look after Paula's Granpop. After her father leaves , Paula becomes more responsible to help their neighbouring farm to harvest.

In conclusion, the moral values I have found is determination and responsibility. 

Lee Wen Sze
4 Cergas
23rd February 2014