Our 8 year old Granddaughter really liked the book.I have read dozens of children's books related to the lives of those who lived during the war, and this one was the most irritating. I felt as if the author was trying to carve a block of marble with some inappropriate tools. Writing a story that took place almost 70 years ago is not and should not be so easy if you didn't live back then nor knows somebody who's lived then. Many of the interactions that are described in this book sounds so modern, I do not believe people who lived in that period behaved or talked or thought the way it shows in the book. There are many places I felt odd considering the story was supposed to take place 70 years ago. The story is shallow and has too many unimportant and unrelated actions, I felt like watching a film put together by a kindergartner.I'm sorry for my honest review. But after reading Number the Stars, I felt like reading this book was a total waste of my time.I wouldn't recommend this book to a child. I wish the last part where Esther was sorry that she sent the doll to Michi wasn't included. Because Michi didn't write her a thank you letter, she wished she didn't send the doll? She's regretting her good deed? Not a good character to display to the readers.Warning: possible spoilers It’s 1942, in Canada. News of the Japanese conquests in Asia start to become a moment of hatred towards the Japanese in Northern America. The story I’m about to introduce to you takes place a month after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Ever since then, White Americans and Japanese Americans have been pulled apart in their own country due to fear and dislike. This book is in the perspective of two young friends being torn apart from internal and external conflict. The story starts in the perspective of Esther, a jewish girl, and Michiko (called Michi), a Japanese girl who are best friends. They enjoy playing a game where they roleplay as two princesses in England, (Princess Elizabeth and Margaret). They see two expensive dolls of the princesses in a toy store window and hope to get them for their birthday, which happens to fall on the same day. When the time comes, only Esther gets the Elizabeth doll, while Michi does not.Esther sensed that Michi was extremely upset but when she tries to make it up by letting Michi play with the doll the next day, Michi perceived this as showing off. They argue but Esther is still determined to make things right by saving up to buy the Princess Margaret doll for Michi. Unfortunately, when she attempts to tell Michi the plan, Michi gives her an attitude by hanging out with others, ignoring her, and laughing when Esther does something wrong. By this time, a few chapters have passed and we only see Esther’s point of view, we don’t understand what Michi really is thinking.Michi acts this way for a long time and there are slight mentions of the government making laws against Japanese, even sending them away. From this, you can see that it is a possibility that Michi was under pressure from the government making laws against Japanese, which directly affects her. The thing is that there were not many mentions of ill treatment toward Michi’s family, or at least it seems that she didn’t anticipate it. Then again, we can’t tell because you never see Michi’s point of view throughout the entire story.Of course, in the end they become friends again after Michi apologizes, which I feel like is not worth it because of Michi’s ignorant behavior. I won’t reveal the full ending if you haven’t read the book, but Esther makes a sacrifice and the story thereafter ends abruptly. I still have several questions and there are still loose ends. I still ask, “What was Michi thinking?” And “What happened to her after she was forced to obey the unfair laws?” And “How did she really feel about the situation”.Conclusion This book was mainly centered around friendship and how sometimes you have to make sacrifices, but it was sort of hard to figure that out because you only see one side of the story and the ending doesn’t conclude anything further. The apology doesn’t truly capture the emotions intended and the readers are still left confused. On top of that, This story had only minor instances of unfair laws against the Japanese, and much less about what the Jewish were going through. With more about this, it would create a stronger similarity between Esther and Michi. Maybe this is because we don’t see the laws from the point of the character actually being condemned by them, or because it is being shown as a more minor problem compared to Esther not being friends with Michi. The setting could have been any other place or time. Still, this book brought out the realization that when you have a friend, you’re going to have to make sacrifices and compromises. But the way Michi acted also goes to show, “You see a person’s true colors when you are no longer beneficial to their life.” ~ Ritu Ghatourey.Fast shipping - perfectWay cheaper than what the banks sell and is just as good!great quality and even better price.