Looking Like the Enemy
Mary Matsuda Gruenewald
Adapted by Maureen R. Michelson
Nominated by the America Library Association for “Best Books for Young Adults”
Paperback Original ISBN 978-0939165-58-2
264 pages, $17.00
Includes historic photos
E-book
ISBN 978-0939165-66-7
When Mary Matsuda was 16 years old, her life changed forever. Mary’s happy, carefree life growing up on a berry farm in Washington state ended the day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Along with her brother Yoneichi, and her parents, Mary was forced to leaver her Vashon Island home and face imprisonment in Japanese-American internment camps during World War II. Why? Because Mary was Japanese American and she looked like the enemy.
Just when Mary was preparing to spring into adulthood, her life tumbled into uncertainty and an unknown future. She wondered if she would ever see her home again, or worse, die. For four years, the Matsuda family faced hardships, anxiety and discrimination, but in the end they persevered. Mary’s story is honest, heartbreaking, and hopeful. Her life will inspire young readers to find strength as they face their own difficult times. For ages 9 and up.
This Young Reader’s Edition of Looking Like the Enemy introduces younger readers to U.S. history through the details of this personal and riveting story. There are several educational tools for young readers, including:
- Historic photos
- Author interview
- Teacher’s and Reader’s Guide
- Students’ Writing and Research
- Activities
- Glossary of Japanese terms
- Glossary of vocabulary words
About The Author
In 2005 Mary Matsuda Gruenewald celebrated her eightieth birthday as well as the publication of her first book. She began writing her story in her seventies, no longer willing to stay within what she describes as “the self-imposed barbed-wire fences built around my experiences in the camps.” With her book, Gruenewald breaks her silence as a Nisei.
After her release from her last Japanese American internment camp, Gruenewald became a registered nurse, and worked as an R.N. for more than twenty-five years. She established the Consulting Nurse Service within the Group Health Cooperative in 1971, which has become a national model for numerous health care providers. In 2002 she was a medical delegate representing seniors on behalf of Medicare Plus Choice. At that meeting she was selected along with ten other delegates to advise President George W. Bush on health care issues.
When Mary had completed her memoir in 2005, for a while she thought she was done writing books. However, in time, she was inspired to continue writing, even though she said writing did not come easily for her! Mary continued attending her weekly writing class with her teacher and mentor, Brenda Peterson, and went on to complete two more books.
In 2011, a Young Reader’s edition of Mary’s memoir, Looking Like the Enemy, was published by NewSage Press. Writer and editor, Maureen R. Michelson, worked closely with Mary to adapt her book for young readers just learning about World War II and the imprisonment of Japanese Americans during the War. Mary was very interested in reaching young students with her story, impressing upon them the importance and preciousness of freedom, as well as learning from history so we do not repeat the same mistakes.
In June 2012, Mary’s third book, Becoming Mama-san: 80 Years of Wisdom, was published by NewSage Press. The idea for this book grew out of a long conversation with her editor and publisher, Maureen R. Michelson, while driving to a speaking engagement in Oregon in Spring 2008. . With enthusiastic support from her editor and her writing class, Mary worked long and hard to distill what she considered ten salient life lessons to pass on to younger generations.
Mary continued to speak to students, community groups and organizations about her experiences in Japanese American imprisonment camps, and the wisdom she garnered from that life experience. It was her greatest hope that the United States would never repeat this mistake.
Her articles on imprisonment during WW II have appeared in newspapers nationally, and she presented radio commentaries for NPR KPLU. Gruenewald also consulted with the National Park Service during its establishment of Minidoka Internment Camp as a National Park. Gruenewald received an Asian American Living Pioneer Award in 2003 honoring her contributions. She retired and lived in Seattle near her family until her death in early 2021.
Media Coverage
To read more about Mary or listen to interviews with her, click on the links below or visit her web site at www.lookingliketheenemy.com
