His dark hair was combed back slick, and his shirt collar was stiff and bright white-like he was someone official. The man removed his hat and asked, “Is your father home, young man?” He walked toward the tall man on the driver’s side. One of the men noticed Yuki, so Yuki stepped from the shed and tried to look calm. They each turned and looked around, clearly checking out the farm, the buildings. Two men got out, both of them wearing dark suits and hats. The black car stopped between the storage shed and the house. He felt himself tighten, his chest suddenly rigid, but he had no idea what he should do. He could see that the car was a new ’41 Ford-a fancier car than he usually saw this far away from Berkeley-and Yuki was almost sure he knew what that meant. It was traveling too fast, jolting, dust billowing up behind it. As he walked past the open door, he saw a car driving up the dirt road toward the farm. Yuki Nakahara was stacking wooden boxes according to size in a musty storage shed. Before Yuki returns home-if he returns home-he’ll come face to face with persistent prejudices, grueling combat he never imagined, and friendships deeper than he knew possible. When Yuki and his friend Shig ship out, they aren’t prepared for the experiences they’ll encounter as members of the “Four-Four-Two,” a segregated regiment made up entirely of Japanese-American soldiers. But Yuki isn’t willing to sit back and accept this injustice-it’s his country too, and he’s going to prove it by enlisting in the army to fight for the Allies.

Like many other Japanese Americans, Yuki and his family have been forced into an internment camp in the Utah desert. From the author of Soldier Boys and Search and Destroy comes an “immersive and inspirational” ( Booklist, starred review) page-turner based on the little-known history of the Japanese Americans who fought with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team during World War II.īut it’s the start of World War II, and America doesn’t see it that way.

Four four two by dean hughes