They Called Us Enemy

This graphic novel recounts George Takei’s childhood during the World War II imprisonment of Japanese Americans. Takei’s family was first held at the Santa Anita racetrack, where they lived in a horse stall, then sent to camps in Arkansas and California. George, his brother, and his sister notice their parents’ distress even as they adapt to camp life. Their parents resist restrictions where they can and help others; George’s father later speaks openly with him about what happened. The narrative moves between everyday childhood humor and the sadness of internment.