The girls and their papa, the Italian ambassador and all Italians living in in Japan are sent to internment and secret prison camps. When Italy changes sides during the war, Japan bombs Pearl Harbor, and America begins bombing Japan, tension rises. Tokyo becomes home, even though they live inside the Italian embassy. The acclimate to the culture and quickly become fluent in Japanese.

Readers will be captivated by Simona and Carolina’s spirits and strong wills. The plot is suspenseful, heart-wrenching and hopeful. Readers will get a very strong sense of the beautiful Japanese culture in the first third of the novel - the customs, family life, the pace of life, the abundant markets, and foods - before the bombings begin and the country is thrown into mayhem. The setting is vivid, realistic and rich in detail. The narrative is in Simona’s strong voice. Make sure you read her historical comments at the end of the novel because she sheds more light on this time period. And it is researched and well-documented by Napoli. There were many Italians living in Japan during the war. I was immediately drawn to their gripping story because it’s a piece of history I knew nothing about. Napoli’s powerful storytelling captures their harrowing journey to survive and will tug at reader’s heart-strings.

In this gripping, deeply moving story, Donna Jo Napoli gives readers an unforgettable and authentic new perspective on World War II.ĭonna Jo Napoli’s In a Flash is a dramatic and original story about two Italian sisters who are separated from their father and trapped in Japan during World War II. All the sisters have is each other: their wits, courage, and resilience, and the hope that they will find people who see them not as the enemy, but simply as children trying to survive. Anyone who aids them could be arrested for treason. In 1943, when all Italians in Japan are confined to internment camps as enemy aliens, Papà and the girls are forced to part, and Simona and Carolina embark on a dramatic journey. But soon Japan is engaged in a world war. The girls learn perfect Japanese, make friends, and begin to love life in their new home. In 1940, when Simona is eight and her sister, Carolina, is five, their father becomes the cook to the Italian ambassador to Japan, and the family leaves Italy for Tokyo. Themes: Sisters, Italian, World War II, Japan, Survival, Courage, Hope

Wendy Lamb Books, Historical Fiction, Jan.

A Single Pearl by Donna Jo Napoli