Within These Lines

Written by Stephanie Morrill

Narrated by Morgan Fairbanks and Andrew Kanies

“Within These Lines is a moving story of love, hope, and family set against the dark history of Japanese internment in America. This book had me captivated!” —Maureen McQuerry, YALSA award-winning author of The Peculiars

Evalina Cassano’s life in an Italian-American family in 1941 is quiet and ordinary … until she falls in love with Taichi Hamasaki, the son of Japanese immigrants. Despite the scandal it would cause and the fact that interracial marriage is illegal in California, Evalina and Taichi vow they will find a way to be together. But anti-Japanese feelings erupt across the country after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and Taichi and his family are forced to give up their farm and are incarcerated in a Japanese internment camp.

Degrading treatment at Manzanar Relocation Center is so difficult, Taichi doubts he will ever leave the camp alive. Treasured letters from Evalina are his sole connection to the outside world. Embracing the boldest action she can to help Taichi, Evalina begins to radically speak out at school and at home, shining a light on this dark and shameful racial injustice. 

With their future together on the line, Evalina and Taichi can only hold true to their values and believe in their love against all odds to have any hope of making it back to one another.

Within These Lines is:

• A historical YA novel set against the backdrop of WWII and the shameful era of American injustice surrounding Japanese internment camps
• Told from the dual points of view of an Italian-American woman and Japanese-American man brought together by love then separated by war, injustice, and hatred
• As haunting and unflinching as it is hope-filled and love-driven
• Perfect for fans of Monica Hesse, Ruta Sepetys, and Elizabeth Wein

• Language: English
• Publisher: Blink
• Release date: Mar 5, 2019
• ISBN: 9780310768630

Stephanie Morrill

Stephanie Morrill lives in Overland Park, Kansas, with her husband and three kids. She is the author of The Lost Girl of Astor Street, The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt series, Go Teen Writers: How to Turn Your First Draft into a Published Book, and the Ellie Sweet series. She enjoys encouraging and teaching teen writers on her blog, GoTeenWriters.com. To connect with Stephanie and read samples of her books, check out StephanieMorrill.com.  

Reviews for Within These Lines

[bookscookslooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Within These Lines is at its heart a love story. Not a conventional love story, but one nonetheless. Evalina is the daughter of Italian family and Taichi is second generation Japanese American. They are just starting to get to know one another when the Pearl Harbor attack happens. As any of us who know the horrible history of the internment of the Japanese immigrants and Japanese Americans during WWII will know what follows. Taichi and his family are “evacuated” to the Manzanar camp “for their safety.” I read these stories because I feel they need to be read because this history cannot be forgotten.This book is written for the YA audience and yet it held my interest quite well. The relationship between Evalina and Taichi was sweet and despite the hardships they had to overcome to be together in this time they persevered. Since it was written for the younger reader it was a little more simplistic in the plot and the overall sharing of the horrors of the internment camps but the point of removing people from everything they have simply due to their ethnicity comes through quite strongly. It’s a book that resonates with the current atmosphere in the country.It is a a good book to introduce the young adult reader to this sad period in history with a romantic plot. It will, I am sure, encourage them to further research the internment camps and hopefully it will never again happen here.

[mishker-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Soon after the attack of Pearl Harbor, life becomes much more difficult for teen Evalina Cassano and Taichi Hamasaki. Evalina and Taichi have been hiding their growing relationship since Taichi's family began delivering produce to Evalina's family's restaurant. Now, resentment for their Japanese- American neighbors are growning in California and talks of relocation centers are starting to arise. Taichi's family is preparing for the inevitable and unknown that awaits them at a War Relocation Center. Evalina is preparing for college without Taichi while wondering how her fellow Americans can be treated with such cruelty. When Taichi and his family are moved, Evalina is there. She continues to fight for the rights of her friends in the Relocation Center while Taichi struggles to navigate his new life.Within These Lines is a heartfelt, emotional and enlightening World War II historical romance. I was very interested to read more about the US Internment Camps as this part of our history usually glossed over. Taichi and Evalina are amazing characters and I enjoyed watching their relationship grow and change through adversity. Evalina continued to fight for what she thought was right even though everyone had doubts about their relationship. Taichi continued to make the best out of his situation while continually thinking of Evalina's welfare and was willing to sacrifice for her. Through Taichi and Evalina's points of view, I was able to see how the Camps were portrayed from both sides. From Evalina I was able to see the propaganda that the government put out as well as the hatred and misunderstanding that quickly spread and the people who helped and fought for the rights of those interred. From Taichi and his family I was able to see the true conditions of the camps, the lack of adequate housing, food and sanitary facilities and the community that residents were able to form. I was surprised to read about the very real riots in the Manzanar Relocation Center that erupted between the residents. The ending wrapped up rather quickly and I would have loved to see more details of Evalina's and Taichi's romance and what they faced after the war. Overall, a very well researched and historically detailed sincere romance. This book was received for free in return for an honest review.