User talk:AdaPatruno/sandbox

Heart of a Samurai is a 2010 youth historical fiction by author Margi Preus with illustrations by Manjiro Nakahama, and Jillian Tamaki (The cover art). Heart of a Samurai had received numerical awards and honors including a Newbery Medal Honor Book in 2011. Heart of a Samurai is also a newly nominee for 2014-15 Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award, Division II (for grades 6-8).

Plot
Heart of a Samurai is based on the real story of a Japanese boy, whom believed to be the first Japanese landed in America. In 1841, Manjiro Nakahama (1827-1898), a young fisherman at the age of fourteen, lived in a remote poor fishing village in Japan. He dreamed of being a Samurai, a royal title solely by inheritance. The fishing ship he worked on encountered a storm and ended up drifting out to sea till it landed on an unknown island. After months staying on the island, Manjiro and his crew were rescued by Captain Whitfield, John Howland, an America whale ship. By chance Manjiro worked with the whale team and quickly gained Captain Whitfield’s admiration. By the time they reached Hawaii, the duo had developed a special relationship. Captain Whitfield wanted to adopt Manjiro and go back to America together. Is spite of the Japaneses empire had portrayed foreigners as evil and barbarians, Manjiro determined to see a new world through his adventure by stepping out of his comfort zone and left his crew members behind. Majority of Americans Manjiro encountered had shown kindness toward him, however, some others discriminated against him as a foreigner. He worked hard at school and took care of his new family while captain Whitfield was at sea. Finally a chance to go home appeared, he quickly jumped on it. On his return to Japan, he was imprisoned for being a “spy” of foreign country. Japan had isolated itself from the world more than a hundred year by then. As the Japanese dynasty changed, the new emperor admired Manjiro’s knowledge of the world and of English language. He became the teacher of the emperor’s children. Manjiro, in a rare move, was award the title of Samurai, despite him being born a fisherman.

Characters

 * Nakahama, Manjiro aka John Mung-- Manjiro is a humble and innocent figure. His curiosity and open minded bought him to a ten years' adventure in America.  His eager to learn and forward thinking has leaded him successfully redeem his unlikely dream being a Samurai. He is an inspiration and hopeful character.


 * Denzo--
 * Jusuke--
 * Goemon-- Another teenage fisherman of the Japaneses shipwreck fishing ship. Denzo is ignorance figure, and afraid of his own shadow. It is a sharp contract of Manjiro's character.
 * Toraemon-- is an older fisherman.
 * Captain Wifield--
 * Jolly--

Awards

 * Newbery Medal Honor Book in 2011
 * The Best Children’s Books of the Year for Historical Fiction (ages 12-14) by Bank Street College in 2011
 * Asian/Pacific American Award for Children’s Literature in 2011
 * Noteworthy Titles for Children and Teens (ages 10-14) by Capitol Choices in 2011
 * Top Ten Books by Shelf-Awareness in 2010
 * New York Public Library, Children’s Books of 2010 (Stories for Older Readers)
 * Best Books for Children and Teens for Fiction with Great Boy Characters under Historical Fiction category by Kirkus Reviews in 2010
 * Best Children’s Books in Fiction by Publishers Weekly in 2010
 * Autumn 2010 for the Teen Readers by Kids’ sIndie Next List
 * ALSC Notable Children’s Book List for Older Readers in 2011

Author’s background
Margi Preus is an America writer specialized in children books and playwright. She also write comic plays, adaptations, libretti, short fiction. Preus has directed Colder by the lake comedy Theatre for twenty years in Duluth, Minesota. She graduated from Binghamton University, SUNY. She is a children’s literature instructor at the College of St. Scholastica’s school of Education, and University of Minnesota-Duluth at her leisure time. Preus discovered Manjiro’s true story upon researching for her previous picture book, The Peace Bell[[, at the local library in Japan. She was attracted by the courageous of a poor teeth age fisherman who overcame hardship entering a ten year journey explored in America, a dramatic end with an unlikely honorable title as Samurai, a royal honor by inherence.  Manjiro is believed the first Japanese set foot in America. The book highlight the peace and friendship between two nations in a civil level. [[Preus’ other books are West of the Moon in 2014 (for ages 9-12), Shadow on the Mountain in 2012, Celebritrees: Historic & Famous Trees of the World in 2011 (for ages 4-8).  The Peace Bell in 2008 (ages 4-8). Preus had previously published several books long before her name is recognized.  She wrote Visions in Near-sleep in 1983, had co-authors with Lise Lunge Larsen for a picture book Legend of the Lady Slipper in 1999 (ages 4-8).  She had co-authors with Ann Treacy for Sacred Words: A Collection of Prayers from Around the World in 2001 as well as co-edited together for A Book of Grace in 2002 (for young adult to adult).

Ref
Preus, Margi. Heart of a Samurai. New York: Amulet Books, 2010. Print

Presentation of Samurai sword on openlibary.org https://archive.org/stream/presentationofsa01mill#page/22/mode/2up Twenty by jenny- http://www.twentybyjenny.com/teenBooks/review/heart-samurai/
 * Heart of a Samurai

http://www.margipreus.com/margipreus.com/Heart_of_a_Samurai.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margi_Preus http://bankstreet.edu/center-childrens-literature/childrens-book-committee/best-books-year/past-editions/ http://www.maudhartlovelace.org/nominees.html http://www.ala.org/alsc/2011-newbery-medal-and-honor-books http://www.capitolchoices.org/years/3%2C24?page=1 http://www.childrensliteraturenetwork.org/aifolder/aipages/ai_p/preus.html http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/blogs/118997104.html http://books.google.com/books?id=I30QkgEACAAJ&dq=inauthor:%22Margi+Preus%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=IftYVKG3BdDIsATojoL4Aw&ved=0CEAQ6AEwBQ http://books.google.com/books?id=FMIhHwAACAAJ https://www.google.com/search?tbo=p&tbm=bks&q=inauthor:%22Margi+Preus%22&gws_rd=ssl http://fourthmusketeer.blogspot.com/2010/07/author-interview-margi-preus-author-of.html