13. Dear Miss Breed: True Stories of the Japanese American Incarceration during World War II and a Librarian Who Made a Difference

Clara Breed was not only the children's librarian at the San Diego Public Library in the early 1940s, she was also a friend to dozens of Japanese American children when World War II broke out in December of 1941. Oppenheim tells the story of what happened to these American citizens through letters written to Miss Breed during their internment. Photographs from the time period, archival materials, and touching quotations from the later reparation hearings bring to life this true story. This astonishing librarian brought hope to these young people and provided them with a lifeline at a time when American ideals were "compromised by fear and unfortunate racial assumptions." This is another resource that will be a great introduction to primary sources for students. The engaging story and extratextual materials will keep students interested.