A Japanese mother and her two daughters make the difficult journey from North Korea to Japan at the end of World War Two. An absolutely gripping first novel, based on the author's childhood experiences, recreates the aftermath of war as a time when society, with its rules and conventions, has completely deteriorated; what remains are individual acts of honor and dishonor. The strength of the family is evident, as a mother and her daughters stay together and act as a group, staking out their territory in box cars and train stations as they make the arduous journey home. Winner, 1986 CCBC Newbery Discussion. (Age 12 and older)