Uchida, Y. (1983). The best bad thing. New York: Atheneum.
1. What did I like or dislike about the book?
I enjoyed reading about the way in which the Japanese community helped each other out in their time of need. Rinko's mom makes her move to Mrs. Hata's small, rundown cucumber farm that summer because Mr. Hata has recently passed away and Rinko is needed to help harvest the crop and help around the house. Even though Rinko does not want to go at first, by the end of the summer she feels that being coaxed into going to the farm was the best bad thing that has ever happened to her.
2. What in my life may have influenced my reaction or response to this book?
My parents could always be counted on to help out friends and family that needed help. I saw this type of devotion in the Japanese community in this book.
3. How would I compare this book to another book or books?
The book, Kira-Kira, is about a Japanese family, whose parents had to work long hours in a chicken processing plant in order to save enough money to purchase a house. The family in Kira-Kira was very close and helped out others in the Japanese community.
4. What new thing did I learn about children's literature in reading this book?
The Best Bad Thing illustrates that it is a good idea for students to read books about different cultures. This book gives insight into the close-knit Japanese American family life. It also discusses incidences of prejudice against the Japanese Americans. Books of this type could give students more tolerance of cultures different from their own.
5. What other books has she written?
Some other books written by Yoshiko Uchida include: Desert Exile: The Uprooting of a Japanese American Family, Picture Bride: A Novel, A Jar of Dreams, The Bracelet, and Sea of Gold.
Reference:
Amazon.com (2009). Retrieved on August 1, 2009 from http://www.amazon.com/.
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