{"title":"Waka T. Brown","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"the-very-unfortunate-wish-of-melony-yoshimura-hardcover","title":"The Very Unfortunate Wish of Melony Yoshimura - Hardcover","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2024 Oregon Book Award winner\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn this magical and chilling \u003cem\u003eCoraline\u003c\/em\u003e-esque retelling of the Japanese folktale \"The Melon Princess and the Amanjaku,\" one girl must save herself--and her loved ones--from a deceitful demon she befriended.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMelony Yoshimura's parents have always been overprotective. They say it's because a demonic spirit called the Amanjaku once preyed upon kids back in Japan, but Melony suspects it's just a cautionary tale to keep her in line. So on her twelfth birthday, Melony takes a chance and wishes for the freedom and adventure her parents seem determined to keep her from.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs if conjured by her wish, the Amanjaku appears. At first, Melony is wary. If this creature is real, are the stories about its destructive ways \u003cem\u003ealso\u003c\/em\u003e real? In no time, however, the Amanjaku woos Melony with its ability to shape-shift, grant wishes, and understand her desire for independence. But what Melony doesn't realize is that the Amanjaku's friendship has sinister consequences, and she quickly finds every aspect of her life controlled by the demon's trickery--including herself.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMelony is determined to set things right, but will she be able to before the Amanjaku turns her life, her family, and her community upside down?\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51445636858079,"sku":"9780063230767","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/sUCtDND21Q9780063230767.webp?v=1790222011"},{"product_id":"dream-annie-dream-paperback","title":"Dream, Annie, Dream - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn this empowering deconstruction of the so-called American Dream, a twelve-year-old Japanese American girl grapples with, and ultimately rises above, the racism and trials of middle school she experiences while chasing her dreams.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs the daughter of immigrants who came to America for a better life, Annie Inoue was raised to dream big. And at the start of seventh grade, she's channeling that irrepressible hope into becoming the lead in her school play.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSo when Annie lands an impressive role in the production of The King and I, she's thrilled . . . until she starts to hear grumbles from her mostly white classmates that she only got the part because it's an Asian play with Asian characters. Is this all people see when they see her? Is this the only kind of success they'll let her have--one that they can tear down or use race to belittle?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDisheartened but determined, Annie channels her hurt into a new dream: showing everyone what she's made of.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWaka T. Brown, author of While I Was Away, delivers an uplifting coming-of-age story about a Japanese American girl's fight to make space for herself in a world that claims to celebrate everyone's differences but doesn't always follow through.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut in a world that isn't always fair, what does it take to stand tall?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eComing of Age: \u003c\/b\u003e Join twelve-year-old Annie Inoue as she navigates the start of seventh grade, from first crushes and changing friendships to finding the courage to create her own path.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eTheater and Acting: \u003c\/b\u003e When Annie lands a role in the school production of \u003ci\u003eThe King and I\u003c\/i\u003e, she learns the hardest drama isn't always on stage, especially when classmates question why she was cast.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eNavigating Racism and Microaggressions: \u003c\/b\u003e A powerful look at the immigrant family experience and the challenges of dealing with stereotypes and unfair judgments from teachers and classmates alike.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eAn Inspiring Story for Kids: \u003c\/b\u003e Perfect for young readers who love realistic, heartfelt stories about perseverance, identity, and the courage to chase your dreams, no matter the obstacles.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51451829911775,"sku":"9780063017177","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/JTUpNwwHFE9780063017177.webp?v=1790276019"},{"product_id":"perfect-hardcover-2","title":"Perfect - Hardcover","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e*Bank Street Best Book of the Year * Study of Multicultural Children's Literature Best Book of the Year * CCBC Choices Title * Oregon Spirit Book Award Honor\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor Waka T. Brown and artist Yuko Jones join forces for this picture book about a young girl who learns to appreciate life's imperfections when her grandmother teachers her about the Japanese art form kintsugi.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMiki Amelia Masuda liked everything in her life to be perfect. Her room was immaculately clean. She only ate round cookies, not the broken ones. And if a stuffed animal had a tear in it, she couldn't bear to look at it. So when she accidentally drops and breaks her favorite teacup, she's devastated. How can a broken teacup ever be perfect again?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDays later, Miki's grandmother, Obaachan, presents Miki with the fixed teacup. But it's not perfect! Each crack is highlighted by a gold streak of paint--almost as if to \u003cem\u003eshow off\u003c\/em\u003e the imperfections!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat follows is one girl's journey to understanding that life isn't always perfect. Through the art of kintsugi, Waka and Yuko show readers--and Miki--that rips, cracks, and tears have their own stories to tell, ones that are meaningful in their own way. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51452471967967,"sku":"9780063280229","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/CXydAf_q7R9780063280229.webp?v=1790290429"},{"product_id":"rick-kotanis-400-million-dollar-summer-hardcover","title":"Rick Kotani's 400 Million Dollar Summer - Hardcover","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eGolden Kite Award Finalist \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eOregon Book Award Finalist \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOregon Book Award-winning author Waka T. Brown hits a home run in this middle grade novel about a baseball-obsessed twelve-year-old who moves to Oregon to help his grandfather--an elusive old man with a shrouded past--but ends up learning unexpected truths about his family and how they mysteriously parallel the Japanese folktale of Urashima Taro. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRick Kotani is looking forward to spending the entire summer playing baseball. Sure, his team never wins, but he's been practicing a special pitch he \u003ci\u003eknows \u003c\/i\u003eis going to land him a 400-million-dollar major-league contract . . . someday. That all changes when his mother throws a curveball of her own: Instead of playing ball in California, Rick will be heading to Oregon to help keep an eye on Grandpa Hiroshi while they move him to a retirement home. Trading no-hitters to be a babysitter? Rick is beyond bummed.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut once there, Rick discovers Grandpa is actually pretty cool, and the two bond over a Japanese folktale about a fisherman, Urashima Taro, who trades his life on earth for the riches of an underwater kingdom. And like the fisherman, Rick soon forgets about his team back home when he joins a supercompetitive local league that only cares about being the best--at any cost.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs the team racks up the wins and Grandpa makes his final move, Rick must decide which ending he wants for his story: Will he fall in line with his ruthless teammates and their victory-obsessed coach in his own \"underwater kingdom,\" or will family, true friendship, and integrity lead him back to shore?\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51453162586335,"sku":"9780063230811","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/tM8i8BiI479780063230811.webp?v=1790301339"}],"url":"https:\/\/blackandbarhe.com\/collections\/waka-t-brown.oembed","provider":"Black \u0026 Barhe Bookstore","version":"1.0","type":"link"}