Unbreakable: A Japanese American Family in an American Incarceration Camp

A powerful, emotional, and ultimately uplifting picture book about the real-life experience of a Japanese American boy incarcerated with his family during World War II

Lying in bed at night, Min thinks about things he’s
his family’s home and business, Puppy, and most of all, Papa.
Min clutches his stone, hoping to see his father again.

Strength comes in the form of the small, smooth stone Min’s father gives him before being led away by FBI agents. In his absence, Min and his family do their best to keep their produce business afloat and earn enough support to get Min’s father released. But after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, they’re forced into an incarceration camp in Colorado.

Imprisoned on the dusty plains and facing both the pain of displacement and the injustice of being incarcerated by his own country, Min must learn to adapt and to find beauty—and strength—where most wouldn’t.

Cowritten by Jolene Gutiérrez, author of Too Much! and Mamiachi & Me, and Minoru (Min) Tonai, an advocate for Japanese American rights, Unbreakable is ultimately an uplifting picture book based on Tonai’s harrowing real-life experiences. Illustrated by acclaimed illustrator Chris Sasaki, this picture book includes extensive back matter such as information on the American incarceration camps and the campaign to release Tonai’s father, a timeline, a bibliography, author and illustrator notes, and questions for further discussion perfect for caregivers and educators to further engage young readers.