My Nest of Silence

Faulkner (Gaijin: American Prisoner of War) employs stunningly realistic b&w comics spreads and aching prose to deliver a forthright account of one Japanese American family during WWII. Ten-year-old Mari Asai and her older brother Mak live in Manzanar, a Japanese internment camp in California. When Mak enlists in the U.S. Army against their father’s wishes and is deployed, Mari, frustrated with her family’s infighting, vows not to speak until Mak returns. She seeks solace in her art and in the letters that Mak sends home, which describe his experiences in basic training and during overseas conflict, though he attempts to mask the brutality of war through lighthearted anecdotes (“The food here is even worse than at Manzanar. Lots of beans and root veggies. And SPAM! Blech!”). During his absence, Mari buckles emotionally under Manzanar’s increasingly squalid conditions. Faulkner’s digital art mimics pencil sketches; delicate line work portrays intimate character close-ups while bolder strokes splay across full-spread battle scenes. Via Mari’s earnest narration, her and Mak’s stories interweave, showcasing with candid clarity the cruelty both siblings endure. A vividly wrought, necessary exploration of Japanese American history. Ages 10–up. (Oct.)