Ayumi s Path That I Continued to Walk a Coloured Future Chapter 3 Different Motivations

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Sep 30, 2015 Chris Myers rated it it was amazing

Ayumi's Violin is a middle grade story but teens and adults will enjoy it as well. It's about a young girl's struggle to adapt to the US culture after her Japanese mother dies. When bi-racial Ayumi comes to the US to live with her white father, she must learn to get along with her jealous half-sister and her new step-mother. A Cinderella story that deals with racism, bullying, and culture shock. Ayumi uses her music to deal with the loneliness of losing her mother and problems at school and home Ayumi's Violin is a middle grade story but teens and adults will enjoy it as well. It's about a young girl's struggle to adapt to the US culture after her Japanese mother dies. When bi-racial Ayumi comes to the US to live with her white father, she must learn to get along with her jealous half-sister and her new step-mother. A Cinderella story that deals with racism, bullying, and culture shock. Ayumi uses her music to deal with the loneliness of losing her mother and problems at school and home. She also befriends a young Mexican boy and empathizes with his family.

It's a beautifully written story that explores the cruelty of humanity and the strength of the human spirit. This story is a cross between the youthfulness, fear, and paranoia found in The Witch of Blackbird Pond and the racism and young friendship of The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. If you enjoy reading books like those, you'll love Ayumi's Violin.

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Sep 24, 2015 Kevin Tracy rated it it was amazing

Have you ever moved to a new place, felt surrounded by different faces, lost amid unfamiliar customs? Aching, poignant, and yet ultimately uplifting and inspiring, in Ayumi's Violin author Mariko Tatsumoto looks through the eyes of a girl overwhelmed by tragedy, sent to live in a world she doesn't understand. She tells Ayumi's story with warmth, sensitivity, and heart. Your family will come to love Ayumi's Violin and read it over and over again.

Must read especially for children

Prejudice is never a good thing. Very well written and a great lesson on prejudices and bullying experienced by a child. Great read for Homeschoolers!

Ayumi is 12 and was raised in Japan by her poor single mother. All of her mother's relatives died in the bombing of Nagasaki so there is no one to take care of her when her mother dies before chapter one begins. Her father is an American who served during the Japanese reconstruction for two years after WWII and fell in love. He knew nothing of Ayumi until Ayumi's mother wrote to him two months before she died.

She was bullied and discriminated against in Japan for looking too American and having

She was bullied and discriminated against in Japan for looking too American and having no father. When she reaches America she faces similar discrimination for being part Asian. Her stepmother and 10 year old stepdaughter resent the surprise addition to their well-off Pasadena family. Ayumi tries to keep her head down and desperately wants to be accepted by her new family. Her only comfort is her violin which she cannot even play when her stepmother is around because she doesn't like noise. No one even knows how good she plays or how much her music means to her until well into the book.

I really liked the excellent insights into Japanese culture and customs (the author also emigrated to America on a cargo ship because they were poor and she experienced the same kind of discrimination Ayumi faced in the book.

I also liked that some of the problems Ayumi faced required her to choose between equally unacceptable choices. This should give some good opportunities for students to discuss the consequences of the alternatives.

As an adult, I had a slight problem with the way everything got resolved so nice and neatly in the end. This is probably a good thing for the intended age group, but if it had been written for adults, some issues might have been left partly unresolved.

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Ayumi's Violin is a beautifully written story that transports you to another place. It is absolutely enchanting to see the world through Ayumi's eyes. The story impressively captures details as they are seen through the lens of both childhood and cultural crossover. This story is truly touching, its protagonist, Ayumi, endearing, relatable, and always grateful for things we take for granted. I highly recommend this book. It will stick with you. Ayumi's Violin is a beautifully written story that transports you to another place. It is absolutely enchanting to see the world through Ayumi's eyes. The story impressively captures details as they are seen through the lens of both childhood and cultural crossover. This story is truly touching, its protagonist, Ayumi, endearing, relatable, and always grateful for things we take for granted. I highly recommend this book. It will stick with you. ...more

Oct 13, 2015 Anthonia rated it it was amazing

A very inspirational story, that i enjoyed reading very much. This book has racial issues, culture, change, loss, sadness, hope, and life. Ayumi learned how to be herself in this book with every challenge she faced in her life growing up with people that were complete strangers to her. Loved how the author brought out Japanese culture and how her violin made her whole.

Nice book for tweens

Gave a clear picture of what it must be like for a youth experiencing a different culture. It was pleasant to read a book that honored honesty and respectful manners.

This is a very thoughtful story of a young girl uprooted from Japan to America. The Author takes the reader thru the girls her thoughts and feelings about being thrust not only in to a new world but a new family.

Enlightening

I loved seeing Ayumi's perspective on life. Her history, her culture and the way she saw the American people. It made me think more deeply on how I see the world. And I desire to see it as lovingly as Ayumi does.

Enlightening

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I think I'd recommend to not judge this book by its cover. I started reading last night and from the cover, expected a much less sophisticated and engaging voice...but what I got was a pretty compulsively readable story with the quiet, earnest, and heartfelt voice of a biracial Japanese girl suddenly thrust into 1950's middle class white Californian society .

Ayumi's mother dies, forcing her to leave her home in Japan and travel by ship to Pasadena to live with the father she had never known. Bei

Ayumi's mother dies, forcing her to leave her home in Japan and travel by ship to Pasadena to live with the father she had never known. Being biracial in post-WWII 1950's wasn't easy. Even before Ayumi gets on the ship she has been bullied for being "American" in Japan. On the ship she is called "ainoko" or love-child by the captain, and despite the warm love of her father, her new stepmother and sister are not pleased to see her.

There is bullying in the schoolyard, Ayumi's unfamiliarity with American culture, her love of classical music and her violin that her stepmother won't let her play in the house, and new found friendship with other marginalized people-- Mexican housekeeper and her grandson Diego who yearns to become an artist in the same way Ayumi wants to be a musician--and the navigation of how far Ayumi will go both in "gaman" (or bearing up under difficulty) the blatant racism around her and also what she will do to keep her music.

Up until Ayumi makes a fateful decision that goes against the quiet dignity her mother has instilled with her, I was all in for this book. It reads smoothly, Ayumi is super-engaging, the racism present in her everyday world an important aspect of U.S. history kids and adults should be familiar with.

Once Ayumi makes the bad decision, things get a little bit harder for me to invest emotionally in. Without spoiling the latter half of the book, let me just say that a famous person gets involved, along with a local priest, and these two along with Ayumi's father are so quick to forgive Ayumi and explain away her behavior that it didn't sit right with me.

The punishment for her betrayal of Diego and her bad decision is literally--playing her violin. And it was a little hard for me to stomach the complete reversal stepmother and stepsister had without equating it (as Diego did) to Ayumi's violin talent.

Still...despite these quibbles I did read the book all in one night unwilling to set it down because I had to find out what would happen to Ayumi and Diego. And the everyday incidents of racism (being called "jap" by neighbors, folks in a restaurant unwilling to sit next to Ayumi, boys calling her father a commie, etc) quite poignantly drawn and disturbing in a way that is necessary for the people of the U.S., particularly children, to be aware of.

I would totally recommend this as thoughtful, informative, and engaging reading for children 8 and older. And although I read it as an adult, I imagine its geared mostly for the 8-15 age range.

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Mariko Tatsumoto is one of the great writers to be discovered. Compare her work to Jamie Ford's. If you loved the cross cultural exploration in Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, you'll also love the themes, emotional content, fish-out-of-water gut-wrench, and masterfully quick read of Tatsumoto's Young Adult story. Authenticity is woven right into the story, for Mariko Tatsumoto was born in Japan, emigrated to the U.S., and likely shared many of Ayumi's challenges.

It is crossover like m

It is crossover like many tales of burgeoning maturity and female rites of passage. If you like Lisa See (especially Snow Flower and the Secret Fan), you'll find another satisfying coming of age story in Ayumi's. Add to the comparisons, a similarly strong, yet flawed, young woman finding her way in Joan Prebilich's After the Harvest and Rising Fortunes. This is for adults and young adults alike. Tatsumoto has captured triumph over loneliness and the strength of embracing differences. Bravo! I know there will be many books yet to come!

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I expected this book to be a little on the dull side, partially because it was a Kindle free book. As I often am, I was surprised by the skill and talent used to bring this book to life. Ayumi is such a lovable character. Her ideals and thoughts on how life should be led are challenged when she moves from Japan to America to live with a father she's never met and a family she didn't want. This culture clash not only creates a deeply interesting and moving story, but shows how Japanese-Americans I expected this book to be a little on the dull side, partially because it was a Kindle free book. As I often am, I was surprised by the skill and talent used to bring this book to life. Ayumi is such a lovable character. Her ideals and thoughts on how life should be led are challenged when she moves from Japan to America to live with a father she's never met and a family she didn't want. This culture clash not only creates a deeply interesting and moving story, but shows how Japanese-Americans suffered even after the US and her allies had won the war. The lessons in this book can still be applied today in America, making this book a relevant and revealing read. ...more

Some of the tropes were predictable, your basic Cinderella story; not nice step-mother, spoiled half-sister, a caring distracted father... But I liked very much Ayumi's struggle as she navigates a new and, to her, alien culture. This story gives the reader a peek into Japanese culture, which is unique and beautiful on many levels. Some of the tropes were predictable, your basic Cinderella story; not nice step-mother, spoiled half-sister, a caring distracted father... But I liked very much Ayumi's struggle as she navigates a new and, to her, alien culture. This story gives the reader a peek into Japanese culture, which is unique and beautiful on many levels. ...more

This story is a good reality check, educational read for young people. Encourages young ones to have dreams, but also the hardships one may face in doing so. There is drama, racial tension, interracial family issues.

I loved this book! A new country, a skilled musician, choices and friendship.

Feb 10, 2020 Violet Bleger rated it it was amazing

This book is truly remarkable. I love how it shows how people can be successful no matter where they come from or who they are. Ayumi is inspiring for everyone, not just Japanese people. Mariko Tatsumoto did an amazing job.

Captivating

I don't know how to review this book exactly. I have deep sympathy for Ayumi. Childhood is hard, especially if you don't fit in and even more so if you're different.

Captivating

I don't know how to review this book exactly. I have deep sympathy for Ayumi. Childhood is hard, especially if you don't fit in and even more so if you're different.

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Great read

I found this book to be a very delightful read. I really wish I could have been at one Ayumi's concerts.

I arrived in America from Japan at the age of eight. My home was a mini-Japan. I always wanted to be a writer but first became the first woman Asian attorney in Colorado before becoming a children's book author. I love animals as much as I love books. I arrived in America from Japan at the age of eight. My home was a mini-Japan. I always wanted to be a writer but first became the first woman Asian attorney in Colorado before becoming a children's book author. I love animals as much as I love books. ...more

Traditionally, the fall season is when we see publishing's Big Literary Names bringing their new work to shelves worldwide. The autumn...

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