Dash

Bibliography

Larson, K. (2014). Dash. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN: 9780545416351

Plot Summary

After the events of Pearl Harbor, life has changed for Mitsi Kashino and her family must adapt to a new United States. “All persons of Japanese descent” are required to evacuate to incarceration camps. It wouldn’t be so bad if Mitsi were allowed to bring her faithful companion, Dash. But when her request is denied, Mitsi has to adjust to her life without Dash and learn to lean on her family and others.

Critical Analysis

American reactions to Pearl Harbor against Japanese people are revealed slowly. It is obvious that Mitsi is almost unaware of the world’s reaction to her because she feels that she is as American as the rest of her friends. Girls that Mitsi once thought of as friends no ignore her and are leaving nasty notes in her desk. Author Kirby Larson has created a believable young protagonist who feels that her dog is her best friend. Who doesn’t understand completely what is happening to her family because she feels more American than she does Japanese.

Larson’s descriptions of the internment camps, especially that of Camp Minidoka in Idaho, help express the helplessness Japanese-Americans felt at this time. “Mitsi’s throat was raw from the dust, and the ringing in her ears was driving her crazy…” (pg 193). This is quite the departure for Misti, who grew up in Oregon.

Mitsi’s experience at Camp Harmony and Minidoka prove a rough transition but with the help of Dash’s letters, she learns to appreciate what she has. Her experience at the internment camps seems easier than what others may have experienced in comparison. The letters from “Dash” symbolize hope for her which keeps her going during this tough time of change. And her brother, Ted, reflect what could happen if they were to succumb to what others thought of Japanese Americans. He begins hanging out with the wrong crowd and seems perfectly fine to sneak out, smoke, and even steal. But the weight of his guilt eventually shows him the error of his ways.

As far as character development goes, this book shows very little. Mitsi can’t help but judge the mailman at Camp Harmony, and she remains oblivious to the troubles her new friend, Debbie, is experiencing trying to help her father. Mitsi’s only goal and connection to the outside world is her dog, Mitsi, and the person taking care of Dash. Other than learning to not judge others based on their outward appearance, Mitsi doesn’t really grow in this book.

One of the most redeeming qualities of this book was the Author’s Note at the end. Mitsi is based off an actual person that wanted to bring their dog to an internment camp after Pearl Harbor. She is also denied, so a family friend kept a “diary” of the dogs day to day activities. This helped humanize Mitsi for me. Larson also Densho.org in her acknowledgements. The website has testimonials from people at the different internment camps, drawings, and maps of the area which helps the reader imagine the different places Mitsi went to during her stay.

Review Excerpt(s)

Scott O'Dell Award (2015)
California Young Readers Medal Nominee for Intermediate (2018),

Bluestem Book Award Nominee (2018),

The Magnolia Award Nominee for 3-5 (2016)

"Historical fiction at its best." -- School Library Journal

"Emotionally satisfying and thought-provoking." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Connections

Imagine that you have to leave home for a while but couldn’t take the family pet. Write a letter that your family pet would leave you for the day you had to depart.

Compare the camps the Japanese had to stay in to those of the Jewish people in Germany.

Draw a map of Camp Harmony based off the text provided.

Use Densho.org to pair the events mentioned in Dash to those that occurred after Pearl Harbor.

Create a timeline for Japanese Americans starting with Pearl Harbor and the Japanese surrender in 1944.