Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by
Jamie Ford is about Henry Lee, a twelve year old Chinese boy growing up in Seattle in 1942, during World War II. Henry's parents send him to an all white school where he is forced to work in the lunch room and clean the classrooms at the end of the day to earn his tuition. Henry is the only non-white student in the school... until the day Keiko, a twelve year old Japanese girl, arrives. She, too, is "scholarshipping", or working for her school entrance. Henry has grown up with a very traditional father who strongly shows his support for his home country of China, against the Japanese in the war - in fact, Henry's father forces Henry to wear a button that reads "I am Chinese" every day (the Chinese and United States were allies during WWII). Henry knows his friendship with Keiko is forbidden, but he is drawn to her anyway. Their friendship grows as they work together and walk home from school together, until the day Keiko and her family are moved to a Japanese internment camp, for "their own protection". Henry finds them at the train station and offers his button to Keiko, hoping he can save her from leaving. During her stay at the temporary camp, and her longer stay in the permanent camp in Idaho, Henry finds ways to stay in contact with his best friend. Until one day, when his final letter to Keiko is returned to sender unopened. It is at this time that Henry decides to stop defying his father, who hasn't acknowledged Henry for over two years because of his friendship with Keiko's family, and return to China to finish his schooling. It is also at that time when Henry begins dating Ethel, the woman he will end up marrying and having a son with.
This book is also about the adult Henry, sharing his grown-up story in 1986 with his son Marty and Marty's fiance, Samantha. A famous Japanese-built hotel in Seattle has been purchased, and in the basement a virtual museum of possessions found. Trunks and personal possessions from the Japanese families sent to the internment camps, stored in the basement for 40 years. Henry is sure he'll find something of Keiko's he's been searching for on and off for many years, in that basement. Struggling with feelings of guilt about his recently deceased wife, and excitement at the thought of finding Keiko again, Henry finds what he was looking for and is able to fix something he'd always thought he had broken.
This book was amazing! I read it in one day because I couldn't put it down. I loved the way the author took the story back and forth between the 1940s and 1986. I don't typically read books written for adults, but I'm glad I read this one. I think it can be enjoyed by my 6th graders, as well! Another great read about Japanese internment camps during World War II is
Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata.
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford is about Henry Lee, a twelve year old Chinese boy growing up in Seattle in 1942, during World War II. Henry's parents send him to an all white school where he is forced to work in the lunch room and clean the classrooms at the end of the day to earn his tuition. Henry is the only non-white student in the school... until the day Keiko, a twelve year old Japanese girl, arrives. She, too, is "scholarshipping", or working for her school entrance. Henry has grown up with a very traditional father who strongly shows his support for his home country of China, against the Japanese in the war - in fact, Henry's father forces Henry to wear a button that reads "I am Chinese" every day (the Chinese and United States were allies during WWII). Henry knows his friendship with Keiko is forbidden, but he is drawn to her anyway. Their friendship grows as they work together and walk home from school together, until the day Keiko and her family are moved to a Japanese internment camp, for "their own protection". Henry finds them at the train station and offers his button to Keiko, hoping he can save her from leaving. During her stay at the temporary camp, and her longer stay in the permanent camp in Idaho, Henry finds ways to stay in contact with his best friend. Until one day, when his final letter to Keiko is returned to sender unopened. It is at this time that Henry decides to stop defying his father, who hasn't acknowledged Henry for over two years because of his friendship with Keiko's family, and return to China to finish his schooling. It is also at that time when Henry begins dating Ethel, the woman he will end up marrying and having a son with.
