Heart of a Samurai
Heart of a Samurai is a 2010 young adult historical novel by American author Margi Preus. The novel is closely based on the true story of Manjiro Nakahama (1827–1898) and is illustrated by his drawings, with jacket illustration by Jillian Tamaki. "Heart of a Samurai" has received numerous awards and honors, Plot. "Heart of a Samurai" is based on the real story of a Japanese boy, who is believed to have been one of the first Japanese people to land in America. In 1841, Manjiro Nakahama, a young fisherman at the age of fourteen, lived in  a remote, poor fishing village in Japan. He dreamed of being a Samurai, a royal title bequeathed solely by inheritance. The fishing ship he worked on encountered a storm and ended up drifting out to the sea until it landed on an island which he and the crew named "Bird Island". After months staying on the island, Manjiro and his crew were rescued by Captain Whitfield, aboard the John Howland, an America whaling ship. Manjiro worked with the whale team and quickly gained Captain Whitfield's admiration. By the time they reached Hawaii, the duo had developed a special relationship . Captain Whitfield wanted to adopt Manjiro and go back to America with him. In spite of the Japanese empire having portrayed foreigners as evil and barbarians, Manjiro was determined to see a new world through his adventure by stepping out of his comfort zone and leaving his crew members behind. Upon landing in America, Manjiro found the majority of Americans he encountered had shown kindness toward him, however, some others discriminated against him as a foreigner. He worked hard at school and took care of his new family while Captain Whitfield was at sea. Finally, after a few years a  chance to go home appeared, he quickly jumped on it. On his return to Japan, he was imprisoned for being a “spy” of a foreign country. Japan had isolated itself from the world for more than two hundred years by then. As the Japanese dynasty changed, the new emperor admired Manjiro's knowledge of the world and of the English language and made him become the teacher for his children. Eventually, Manjiro taught English, Maths, sea navigation, and shipbuilding; he wrote and translated English books into Japanese. Gradually, he initiated the whaling industry to Japan and became an interpreter of  the first Japanese Embassy. Manjiro's influence on the political powers eventually led to the end of Japan's isolationism in 1854. Manjiro, in a rare honor, was awarded the title of Samurai, despite having been born a fisherman. Critical reception. "Heart of a Samurai" received many compliments and awards. As Daniel Kraus wrote, "It’s a classic fish-out-of-water story (although this fish goes into the water repeatedly), and it’s precisely this classic structure that gives the novel the sturdy bones of a timeless tale." Roger Sutton had said, in "The Horn Book Magazine" that “the  facts of Manjiro's life are inherently dramatic (later episodes include a stop at the Gold Rush, a mutiny, and a return to Japan), but Preus keeps her hero human-sized and empathetic, allowing readers to see and learn along with him the ways of a strange new world." Michael Cart, the author of "Young Adult Literature: From Romance to Realism", asserts that it is “a more mature, sophisticated, and artful historical fiction, one that is honest about the realities of history for older YAs”. Author's background. Margi Preus is an American writer who specializes in children books and  playwrights. She also writes comic plays, adaptations, libretto and short fiction. Preus has directed Colder by the Lake Comedy Theatre for twenty years in Duluth, Minnesota. She graduated from Binghamton University, SUNY. She is a children's literature instructor at the College of St. Scholastica, school of Education, and University of Minnesota-Duluth in her leisure time. Preus discovered Manjiro's true story upon doing research for her previous picture book, "The Peace Bell", at the local library in Japan. She was attracted by the courage of a poor teenage fisherman, who overcame hardship during a ten-year journey exploring  America with a dramatic end being awarded an unlikely honorable title as Samurai, a royal honor by inheritance. Manjiro is believed the first Japanese to set foot in America. The book highlights the peace and friendship between two nations on a civil level. Preus's other books are "West of the Moon" in 2014 (for ages 9–12), "Shadow on the Mountain" in 2012, "Celebritrees: Historic & Famous Trees of the World" in 2011 (for ages 4–8). "The Peace Bell" in 2008 (ages 4–8). Preus had previously published several books long before her name became recognizable. She wrote "Visions in Near-Sleep  in 1983, and had co-authored with Lise Lunge Larsen for a picture book, Legend of the Lady Slipper" in 1999 (ages 4–8). She had co-authored with Ann Treacy for "Sacred Words: A Collection of Prayers from Around the World" in 2001 as well as co-edited together for "A Book of Grace" in 2002 (for young adult to adult).