Hunt for the Bamboo Rat

Starred review from September 1, 2014
A novel that begins before Pearl Harbor sends a Japanese-American teen on a top-secret mission to the Philippines. Born in Hawaii of Japanese parents, 17-year-old Zenji Watanabe is fluent in English and Japanese. In August 1941, his high school ROTC commander recruits him for the U.S. Army Corps of Intelligence Police, and he is sent to Manila to mingle with Japanese businessmen and collect information. When the Japanese army invades, Zenji is taken prisoner. Steadfastly maintaining his cover as a civilian, he refuses to admit that he is the Bamboo Rat, his cover name, and is tortured by the Japanese secret police. He eventually finds himself working for a Japanese colonel as a translator and houseboy and is able to use the position to help the Filipino underground. When the U.S. forces return, he escapes into the jungle, surviving despite a wound and starvation so extreme that he eats raw rat. His strength derives from his love of family and country coupled with his belief in honor, courage and forgiveness. Salisbury has once again crafted a fine novel, based on an actual person, about first-generation Americans of Japanese descent and the clash of culture and national identity that World War II accentuated. Written in short, rapid-fire paragraphs that move the plot along at a brisk pace, the story will leave readers spellbound. A gripping saga of wartime survival. (maps, author's note, glossary, resources) (Historical fiction. 13-18)

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September 1, 2014

Gr 5 Up-Zenji Watanabe is Nisei, an American with Japanese parents, living in Honolulu on the eve of World War II. As tensions are rising between his parents' homeland and his own, his old ROTC commander offers him secret work away from his home that will utilize his particular language skills. This title is a welcome new angle in historical fiction on the Japanese-American experience during the war, and it is based on a true story. Geared toward middle grade readers, Salisbury is careful not to linger on the more unpleasant and violent aspects of Zenji's time as a POW. Fast-paced and compelling, this title will be enjoyed by voracious and reluctant readers.-L. Lee Butler, Stoughton High School, MA

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2014
Grades 7-10 Zenji Watanabe, 17, is a first-generation Japanese-American living in Hawaii. Based on the story of real-life figure Richard Sakakida, this chronicle introduces readers to the life of a young Japanese American just as Japan and America are becoming combatants in WWII. Zenji's perfect Japanese and English make him a valuable asset, and he is suddenly recruited as a special undercover agent in the U.S. Army Corps of Intelligence Police. Salisbury grew up in Hawaii, and he tells the dangerous tale of Zenji's four-year mission in sharp detail. Throughout, Zenji proves himself to be thoughtful and, important for his ancient cultural heritage, honorable. Fans of Salisbury's other titles in the Prisoners of the Empire historical fiction series will relish the suspense that he skillfully develops and resolves. Give this also to readers who enjoy movies like Argo.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2015
In 1941, seventeen-year-old Zenji Watanabe is recruited by the U.S. Army as a special undercover intelligence agent working in Manila. He's caught and thrown in a POW camp. When he eventually escapes, he gets lost in the jungle for months. Inspired by the real-life story of Richard Sakakida's service during World War II, it's a fascinating tale of espionage, torture, escape, and survival.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

November 1, 2014
In August 1941, seventeen-year-old Zenji Watanabe is out of high school and ready to make a future for himself. He is Nisei, speaks perfect English and Japanese, and is recruited by the U.S. Army as a special undercover intelligence agent working in Manila, code name: Bamboo Rat. It's a dangerous assignment to be in the Philippines on the eve of Japanese invasion and imminent American involvement. He's American, but looks Japanese, and soon finds himself caught in the middle; indeed, he's thrown in a POW camp, tortured, and forced to be a houseboy and office worker for Colonel Fujimoto in Manila. When he eventually escapes, he gets lost in the jungle for months. Inspired by the real-life story of Hawaii-born Richard Sakakida's service during World War II, it's a tale of espionage, torture, escape, and jungle survival. There's somewhat of a disconnect between the prose style, which is appropriate for younger readers, and the mature content. The minimalist cadence is distancing, making it difficult to engage with the story: "Breathe. Long, slow breath. Think. He's just a guy. Got a little sister. A dog. His mother likes him. Maybe." Still, the history is fascinating, and Zenji is a fictional hero readers will long remember. dean schneider

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)