A family torn apart by war.
It’s 1941 and America is in the heat of war. When Pearl Harbor is bombed, suspicions run high and having the wrong color of skin makes you the enemy. Especially if it is Japanese skin.

Allu Noguchi is a young Japanese American girl who finds her family the target of Executive Order 9066. When her father is taken away on suspicions of aiding the enemy, Allu is sent to live in the harsh conditions of Camp Manzanar with nothing more than a seed-bag of belongings.

With her heritage under scrutiny, she strives to maintain hope and finds an unlikely friendship that will urge her to question her own pre-judgements.
With their father gone, Allu’s brother, Robbie, takes over as head of household, but struggles with a hunger for independence as he watches his friends go off to fight in World War II. When the 100th Battalion calls for reinforcements among camp internees, he must choose between the family he is responsible for and the sense of duty which fills his heart. But what will Allu do without Robbie to protect her?

Advance Praise/Review Quotes

“Indeed, the smear of injustice forced upon Americans of Japanese descent during World War II was and remains a dark time in United States history. Amazingly, the victims chose honor and immeasurable sacrifice over revenge in their quest to prove their loyalty to the USA. Callie Trautmiller’s Becoming American is an engaging and important addition to the literature preserving this difficult—and inspiring—time in our history. Highly recommended!”
—Graham Salisbury, Author of multiple award-winning Under the Blood-Red Sun, including the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction

“For those who weren’t alive when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, Becoming American makes it real, from the bombs and bullets, death and destruction, and the insane paranoia that followed. Trautmiller brings home the ugly persecution and forced internment endured by Japanese American citizens following the attack.”
—Charles M. DuPuy, author of the E.Z. Kelly mystery series

“Callie Trautmiller skillfully presents a you-are-there description of the attack on Pearl Harbor and the panic of WWII as seen through the eyes of Japanese American teenagers. A must read for those too young to remember.”
—C. C. Harrison, Award-winning author of Death By G-String, a Coyote Canyon Ladies Ukulele Club mystery

“Becoming American tugs at your heart strings and brings tears to your eyes. The story of a Japanese American family during WWII comes to life in this compelling story by Callie Trautmiller. The author carries you back to a not so proud time in American History. It is a story that must be told so we do not forget and will not repeat.”
—Flo Parfitt, Author of Sara’s Sacrifice and other Historical Fiction

“Callie Trautmiller captures the confusion and despair of American children wondering why they are different than any other Americans and the difficulties they face in everyday life. You follow young Allu, an American child of Japanese descent in the lead up and during World War II, following her from everyday school and prejudice into an interment camp with her family being torn apart.”
—Brian Oppermann, Former USMC combat veteran, Computer Systems Engineer

“Told through the eyes of teen siblings, Callie Trautmiller’s Becoming American is an emotionally relatable story of an historic event that’s as relevant today as it was then. A beautifully written story that I highly recommend.”
—Barbara Raffin, Award-winning author of the contemporary romance series, The St. John Sibling series

“Becoming American by Callie Trautmiller is an engaging, colorful story, based on the lives of people who choose to belong to our free but beautifully flawed country. It reminds us that the scars of war—both on the battlefield and in our communities, represent a continuing need to remember the Golden rule.”
—Donna King-Nykolaycuyk, Author of the World War II story, Stand Like A Man: The Story of Duke, The Indian