Show Me the Way to Go Home

In Tule Lake, California, stands a Japanese incarceration camp. It is not home to Suki, a Japanese American teen who is forced there, nor to Loretta, a white teen whose family helps run the camp. Suki lives in the barracks, while Loretta lives in a house on the property. The novel spans several years, beginning in 1943 and ending in 1945 as Japanese internees are released. Readers follow the two girls as they fight for truth outside the camp and come to terms with their sexuality and love for each other during a time when interracial and queer love were not accepted.

As the girls hide their romance, they embark on separate journeys. One becomes a journalist and documents the cruelties happening inside Tule Lake. The other continues her high school education, fighting for her beliefs and questioning who she truly is. Both Loretta and Suki are written with a true YA voice, and their actions and dialogue fit the age group well. Overall, the writing is well done and engaging. Using dual points of view, the novel immerses readers in both the time period and the setting. The voices of both main characters are the stand-out element of the book.

The beginning of the romance is rushed, as the relationship begins around the same time the characters’ sexuality is introduced. There are also a few instances of Japanese terminology that are not explained upon first use but are clarified in the context of later chapters. This can be a bit confusing, as readers may feel they have missed something. Senryu poems appear at the beginning and end of each chapter, but because they are not explained until the back matter, they can initially feel somewhat out of place within the story.

The book includes extensive back matter, including an author’s note, sources, and further reading. The bones of the story are strong and memorable, and readers who enjoy YA historical fiction will likely find enough here to keep them reading.