What This Book Is About
After her classmate Ruth dies by suicide, Kana Goldberg is left wondering who is responsible: she and her clique had said careless things to Ruth. Her parents send her to her mother's family home in rural Japan for the summer, where she works in the family's mikan (satsuma) groves. Kana is half Japanese and half Jewish American, and between her mixed background and her grandmother's disapproval she does not fit easily into village life, but slowly she finds her way into it, and into her own guilt.
The whole novel is written in verse, which gives each small moment room and weight and turns a story about grief into something closer to a meditation. Holly Thompson has lived in Japan for many years and writes the orchard summer from the inside.
Available at Popular bookstores, Kinokuniya, and the Singapore National Library.
Why We Recommend This Book
Orchards addresses the consequences of what gets said to a classmate with rare nuance: it does not let Kana off the hook, but it also does not condemn her. Instead, it traces the slow, difficult work of taking responsibility, which is a lesson UWC considers essential for adolescents learning to live in community.
The verse novel format introduces students to a literary form many have never encountered, expanding their understanding of what a "novel" can be. The bicultural setting also mirrors the experience of many UWC students who straddle two or more cultural worlds.
Reading Level Guide
Too challenging at A2. Build up with A2 readers like Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Magic Tree House first.
Perfect difficulty. Challenging enough to grow, accessible enough to enjoy.
Comfortable read at B2+. A good warm-up or enjoyable read between more challenging books.
Other UWC Recommended Books for This Grade
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