Within These Lines

By: Stephanie Morrill

Narrated by: Andrew Kanies, Morgan Fairbanks

“Within These Lines is a moving story of love, hope, and family set against the dark history of Japanese internment in America. This book had me captivated!” (Maureen McQuerry, YALSA award-winning author of The Peculiars)

Evalina Cassano’s life in an Italian-American family in 1941 is quiet and ordinary … until she falls in love with Taichi Hamasaki, the son of Japanese immigrants. Despite the scandal it would cause and the fact that interracial marriage is illegal in California, Evalina and Taichi vow they will find a way to be together. But anti-Japanese feelings erupt across the country after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and Taichi and his family are forced to give up their farm and are incarcerated in a Japanese internment camp.

Degrading treatment at Manzanar Relocation Center is so difficult, Taichi doubts he will ever leave the camp alive. Treasured letters from Evalina are his sole connection to the outside world. Embracing the boldest action she can to help Taichi, Evalina begins to radically speak out at school and at home, shining a light on this dark and shameful racial injustice.

With their future together on the line, Evalina and Taichi can only hold true to their values and believe in their love against all odds to have any hope of making it back to one another.

Within These Lines is:

• A historical YA novel set against the backdrop of WWII and the shameful era of American injustice surrounding Japanese internment camps
• Told from the dual points of view of an Italian-American woman and Japanese-American man brought together by love then separated by war, injustice, and hatred
• As haunting and unflinching as it is hope-filled and love-driven
• Perfect for fans of Monica Hesse, Ruta Sepetys, and Elizabeth Wein

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection

©2019 Stephanie Morrill (P)2019 Blink

Good story

Very good story, but the male reader was so monotone. He was hard to listen to. I realize that the Japanese character wasn't meant to have extreme emotions, but the character came across flat.

Eye opening and inspiring

This is definitely a must to read. It made me look up history and realize the sad truth. This shows how one can persevere through hardship.
Thanks to all involved in this book and audio.

Absolutely excellent!

Outstanding. It's one thing to be aware of a tragic chapter in our nation's history, it's another to be immersed in it's impact on individuals. Though I was familiar with the Japanese internment camps, this book brought the reality to life in a vibrant, gripping way.
Evalina and Taichi were believable characters and I found myself caring greatly about their struggles and experiences, both in their relationship and in their lives apart from each other. Their romance was sweet and clean, and when tested by adversity, revealed their true character.
The last chapters had me holding my breath waiting to see what would happen, and the ending was appropriately poignant and satisfying. 10/10 recommend!
As far as the audio book goes, it did take me a bit to warm to the narrators, but once I did I enjoyed both, and had no regrets about listening vs reading.

beautiful story

compelling and honest story; I couldn't get enough. I plan to read with 8th graders.