Description: "We Are Not Strangers explores a unique situation of Japanese and Jewish Americans living side by side in a country at war. Marco Calvo always knew his grandfather, affectionately called Papoo, was a good man. After all, he was named for him. A first-generation Jewish immigrant, Papoo was hardworking, smart, and caring. When Papoo peacefully passes away, Marco expects the funeral to be simple. However, he is caught off guard by something unusual. Among his close family and friends are mourners he doesn't recognize--Japanese American families--and no one is quite sure who they are or why they are at the service. How did these strangers know his grandfather so well?"--
Brief description: Josh Tuininga is an author, artist, and designer living in North Bend, Washington. After studying fine art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, he founded an art and design agency, where he continues to work as its creative director. His work has been published in Communication Arts magazine and HOW Design magazine, and he was awarded with the Communication Arts Award for excellence in illustration. Tuininga is the author of the children's books Why Blue? (Xist Publishing, 2014) and Dream On (Indiegogo campaign, 2019). We Are Not Strangers, which has been awarded a 4Culture Heritage Grant, is his first graphic novel.
Review Quotes: "Grounded in the historically diverse Central District of Seattle, Josh Tuininga's We Are Not Strangers intertwines the stories of a Japanese American family and a Sephardic Jewish family, revealing deep personal loyalty against a backdrop of racist accusations of disloyalty. Based on careful research into both communities, this book shines a light on how world events challenged both families and how one individual's act of quiet resistance impacted many."-- "Ellen Eisenberg, author of The First to Cry Down Injustice?: Western Jews and Japanese Removal During WWII"