The Moon Bridge

by Marcia Savin

When Mitzi and her Japanese-American family are moved to an internment camp during the Second World War, she and her best friend, the rebellious Ruthie, plan to meet after the war at Golden Gate Park. Reprint.

Genres: Historical Fiction, World War II, Childrens, Historical, Fiction, Middle Grade, Young Adult

240 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1992

Reviews

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story of friendship and hard to swallow truths set (mostly) in 1942 San Francisco. Mitzi is the new girl at school. Ruthie is dealing with growing apart from one of her best friends, and quickly strikes up a new friendship with Mitzi. While normal 10 year old play and talk ensue, growing anti-Japanese sentiment in San Francisco threatens their friendship.

This novel is written for a young audience, yet manages to tackle the racism of the Japanese (American) internment in an accurate that is direct, and easy to understand for middle grade readers. I appreciated how the girls grew, in different ways, at the end of the story. I also appreciated the afterward that included historical facts about WWII and the Japanese internment in the USA.

A good read for 10-13 year olds.

[Corynne G · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was about a Girl named Ruthie. At her school she met a girl named Mitzi. At this time the war was happening against the Japanese so everybody hated Mitzi. Except Ruthie. ONe day she had to move away. The best friends kept on writing back and forth to each other.
This book was pretty good, and I liked it.

[Caitlyn]

I learned that It doesn't matter where you or your ancestors are from what matters is what's inside of you

[Jonny Keen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good insight into the horrific, irreversible effects that racism and xenophobia can have on its victims.

[Muhab · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good

[Shelby oconnor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing can stop Ruthie

[Sa · Rating 1 out of 5]

In all honesty, I could not finish this book. I found it..unreadable as it is now. Maybe I could have felt different about this book if I had tried reading it as a child--when I knew nothing about what makes good literature and writing--but I am an avid reader and someone who has thrived off of trying to understand what makes for good writing and a good story.. And this is just not it.

With some editing, I'm sure it could make for a much better book, most certainly a decent read based on the subject of the racism of World War II itself, but the flat, shallow characters felt very unbelievable to me. The names bothered me and, worst of all (for me) was the writing style. Using 'said' constantly after everything. He said, she said, over and over and over as if the author was either an amateur or just had a complete disdain for literally every other descriptive way of writing a sentence. Even if someone asked a question it was followed with 'said'! I was going out of my ever-loving mind! I was taught not to do this kind of thing with sentences in 3rd grade! It's just mind-boggling!

I have no offense to anyone with a difference of opinion, and I do feel terrible because I know this would probably be a great offense to the author...but OH. MY. GOD. I just found myself screaming at the over-sized font on the yellowed pages. For me, what makes a great book isn't that it is good 'for its time', but that it holds up to the test OF time, remaining a good read forever. I only wish it could have done that. If nothing else, at least the book is short. Had I not wanted to gouge my eyes out, I could have probably knocked it out in an hour or two, for whatever that's worth.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

LFL find, grabbed based on cover.
---
A bit more than just another story about the internment, a bit less than the cover and blurb imply. Nice details I've not seen elsewhere.
3.5 stars rounded up for "Almost Cocoa" which is 2 cups milk (probably 2% during early WWII rationing?), a teaspoon vanilla, a Tbs sugar, cinnamon, and enough coffee to make it brown. (I am subject to migraines so try to avoid chocolate.)

[CleverBaggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a gift from a friend who loved it aa a kid. Its a small story about loss and change, not what I expected and a good little surprise. I could see reading and rereading it as a child like I did with Number the Stars.

[Nariman Halim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I

[khalil · Rating 3 out of 5]

i dont even remember thsi book but i think it wqas good

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Moon Bridge is a very realistic book that takes place during World War 2. Two girls end up creating a strong friendship neither of them expected. No one wanted to be this Japanese girl's friend, Mitzi, because she was Japanese. At this time, Japanese people were saw as enemies and were acted very suspicious among their neighbors. A group of girls start teasing Mitzi but one of them defends her and she ends up slowly building a friendship with Mitzi. The two girls played imaginary games like going underwater and finding treasure, eating chocolate together, baking food, and having dinner at each others homes. They ended up liking each other more than they could ever imagined! However, one day Mitzi just left all of a sudden and the other girl didn't know what happened so she went to Japantown to see where Mitzi was because maybe she forgot. Later, she found a note saying that her family went somewhere else and won't be coming back. She then ran back home and her mother knew already. I knew how she felt because it was just so unexpected. She writes to Mitzi and she writes back. They need to reunite again and who knows if they will? You will if you read this book. Will these two girls reunite? What's the significance of the moon bridge? I'd recommend this book to people who like to read about friendship.

[Alison Levie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book about a Caucasian girl and a Japanese girl who become friends at the beginning of WW II. The story is told entirely from the perspective of the Caucasian. It deals with issues of racism, friendship, mean behavior between people, patriotism, and the tragic Japanese internment that was conducted by the U.S. government. I wonder if the character of Mitzi, the Japanese girl is realistic. Her fear is well developed, but she almost seems too much like her Caucasian friend. I enjoyed the creativity of both girls in their friendship. Good questions or discussion points might relate to a comparison between the friendship Ruthie had with Shirl, compared to her relationship with Mitzi, the reactions of Mitzi and her father compared to Uncle Joe, Ruthie's reaction to Mitzi's silence and failure to write, and their reunion. Why did people react to the Japanese the way they did? Do you think this made sense? What was the difference between the way they reacted to the Germans and Italians and the Japanese?

[Maren · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is the beginning of WW2 and Ruthie goes to school one day where she sees her best friend Shirl making fun of a new girl. This new girl is Mitzi Fujimoto, a Japanese American. Ruthie stands up for Mitzi and they become best friends. Then one day Mitzi 'goes missing' and Ruthie finds out that Mitzi's family has been taken to an internment camp. Ruthie and Mitzi keep touch by writing letters. One day Ruthie gets a letter from Mitzi asking to meet up at the Moon Bridge. When they arrive they barely even recognize each other because it has been so long but they rekindle their friendship.

This book does deal with issues of racism but the material is handled very tastefully and is aimed at a younger audience so the content is nothing to worry about. I really liked this book because it makes you think and it takes a real historical time period and makes you think about what people went through during that time.

[Miss Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

gr 3-6 231 pgs


1941-1945 San Francisco. 10 year old Ruthie befriends Mitzi when some of her classmates bully her because she is a Japanese American. Ruthie and Mitzie find they have a lot in common and become good friends. When Mitzi and her family are sent to an internment camp, Ruthie tries to keep in touch by writtin letters and worries when she stops hearing from Mitzi. In the end, after three years the friends are reunited at the Moon Bridge.

This was a great book about what it was like in San Franscisco in the early part of WWII. When Mitzi was sent to an internment camp, just like Ruthie you felt like your friend had disappeared too. The ending was bittersweet. Ruthie and Mitzi were happy to see one another again, but you could tell a lot had changed since they'd last seen one another.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember reading this in grade school and loving it. This book began my love for the historical fiction genre.

This book really taught me about how Japanese Americans were treated with social injustice and taken from their lives to be permanently affected.

I remember crying when the little white friend writes letters to her Japanese American friend telling her about how her day went. But these letters were never received.

Reading this as a child I learned things about WWII that I couldn't have in a text book.

[Mazzou B · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a look at a friendship between a Caucasian American girl and a Japanese American girl during World War 2. It tries to show the tension involved as the Japanese American friend experiences hostility and eventually relocation.
I thought this could have been a really helpful book if it had been written better! Also, if the author had known more about the time period. The characters acted and talked more like Americans of the 1960s and onward than the 1940s!
Not a necessary read, in my opinion.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think RuthAnn gave this to me in elementary school. It might be the book that sparked my interest in WWII. It's the story of a young white American girl and a young Japanese American girl, and the attempt to form a friendship during the war when there is so much hatred and suspicion. Mitzi, the Japanese-American is sent to an internment camp with her family. I remember being deeply affected by Mitzi's story... it was a foreign subject to me. I made mom read the book, I think.

[♥ Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book several years ago, when I was almost finished with elementary school. My teacher had it in her classroom. I really loved this book! Unfortunately, when I transferred to another school, I wasn't able to find the book anywhere (it's very hard to find because it is such an old book). However, I was able to get the book online a couple years ago or so. I read it again and enjoyed it alot, if not as much as I had the first time I read it.

[Rhiannon20 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is fine, but after one of the main characters leaves when Japanese-Americans where locked up during WWII, it gets boring because the other main character has a boring time without her best friend. If I had written this book, I would have cut out some of the parts where Ruthie is all alone after her best friend leaves. Also I thought Ruthie should have had more of and understanding about what was going on.

[Ayoca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book could be used for grades third and up during Social Studies to teach about WWII and Japenese Connection. It's about two young girls one who is American and the other one is Japanese. They became extremely close friends. The Japanese was forced to leave but the two girls promised to meet again at the Moon Bridges.

[Marisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a sweet story of a friendship by two very different girls. When Ruthie finds out that Mitzi has to leave during the war, Ruthie misses her and promises to meet her at the moon bridge, their favorite spot

(I remember reading this book just because of the way the pages sounded when you'd turn them)

[Smerris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this story and it would be great to encourage my students to read it during the World War II unit, as this story is about a friendship that is tested when one of the girls is sent to an internment camp with her family.

[Becca Kirkman · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a cute story of friendship between two girls during WWII. One Japanese American, and the another from European American descent. It is about a 4-5th grade reading level, so it is a fast read. I would have liked it better if it was from the viewpoint of the Japanese American girl Mitzi.

[Meadow Frisbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very good. I was shocked at the sudden break up of friends at the beginning. I couldn't belive Sheryl could be such a snob. But Mitzy is a doll! I love her. I felt with the characters and could feel the discofort of meeting as women after long years apart.

[Vanessa VD · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found it honest and innocent. Ruthie Fox tells her experiences though an innocent and wonderful mind; as her friendship with Mitzi would test a part of her own way to view the world and those around her.
Excellent!!!!

[Reader Girl · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with most historical fiction, this book is a good way to connect with a period of the past. The writing is rigid in places and the actions somewhat contrived, but the historical parts are dealt with well.

[Willow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favorite WWII book when I was younger. I read it over and over again. I learned a lot about what happened to the Japanese people during that awful time.

[woo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story really helps children to learn about history and the need to respect other people.

[Jocelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friendship is the most important thing