It makes for a great chance to practice another language if you know a little of it, and it’s so much better than putting translated language in English between >, which is what I saw in a lot of comics when I was a kid.īecker previously drew George Takei’s graphic memoir They Called Us Enemy. Worth noting: When the characters speak a language other than English, the language is in the word balloons along with English.

(The other characters inner live are explored a bit in the book, too.) The story includes crushes, holiday parties, karaoke, part-time jobs, a charming grandma who lives down the street, and the best use of accented English I’ve ever seen in a book. As Nao reconnects with her childhood self and tries to figure out if she’s gaijin or Japanese, the five form the type of fast, deep friendships that can only happen when everyone is in a new place, trying to help each other. She lives in shared housing with four others: Hyejung, from South Korea, who is studying for university entrance exams in Japan Tina from Singapore who is doing the same and two young Japanese dudes, the friendly Shinichi and very quiet Masaki. Himawari House, by Harmony Becker, is a quieter story, but its heart is just as big this graphic novel is about three young women moving through the hazy twilight that is the space between. Nao moves from the U.S back to Japan, where she was born, to study Japanese for a year between high school and college. with a note on the use of accents in the book + early sketches in the back. If you’re uncomfortable with that, know you can look up the book on any of the sites below to avoid the link)įind Himawari House on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound, & The Book Depository.Himawari House by Harmony Becker. For more information you can look at the Policy page. (Disclaimer: Some of the links below are affiliate links. To anyone who has learned a new language, had to settle into somewhere new, and the friends we meet along the way. Himawari House appeals to those struggling to go back home and to those searching for home. How the notion of home, success, and family changes for us throughout our lives. What I loved is how Becker examines and explores the concept of home. I loved that as Himawari House progresses, it opens to their perspectives and experiences. Beckers (2021) young adult (herein referred to as YA) graphic novel, Himawari House, details a. We get to see their lives, their struggles, and dreams. Himawari House delves into the lives of Nao, Hyejung, and Tina.

These moments made me feel seen, they resonated deeply with me.

About how she assimilated growing up, self-erasing, and how coming back nothing is the same. Of not being able to communicate, of meeting new friends, and of finding your own way. Becker transports readers not only to Japan, but also to that feeling of leaving home. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.) (Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher.

Himawari house review