We Are Not Strangers

We Are Not Strangers was inspired by a true story. The plot of this graphic novel follows a Jewish immigrant’s efforts to help his Japanese neighbors while they are interned during World War II. I had never before heard about anyone ever trying to help the Japanese and am amazed, and thrilled, that someone was brave enough to help out. Author Josh Tuininga is the real life Marco Calvo in the story and his grandfather, nicknamed Papoo, is the hero.

The publisher's summary:

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?

Set in the multicultural Central District of Seattle during World War II and inspired by author Josh Tuininga’s family experiences, We Are Not Strangers explores a unique situation of Japanese and Jewish Americans living side by side in a country at war. Following Papoo’s perspective, we learn of his life as a Sephardic Jewish immigrant and his friendship with Sam Akiyama, a Japanese man whose life is upended by Executive Order 9066, which authorized the incarceration of nearly all Japanese Americans and residents of Japanese ancestry. Determined to keep Sam’s business afloat while he and his family are unjustly imprisoned, he and Papoo create a plan that will change the Akiyama’s lives forever.

The book is a page turner. It is well written, researched, and illustrated. The story opens with Papoo's 1987 funer­al in the Sephardic Bikur Holim Syn­a­gogue, where his grand­son is sur­prised by the pres­ence of sev­er­al Japan­ese Amer­i­can guests. Sub­se­quent chap­ters each begin with dates rang­ing from 1938 to 1945. Read­ers who are unfa­mil­iar with the dis­tinc­tive his­to­ry of Sephardic immi­grants to Amer­i­ca will learn how they were mar­gin­al­ized. Mar­co even­tu­al­ly devel­ops a suc­cess­ful busi­ness career while Sam Akiya­ma opens a fish mar­ket. Both have had to deal with prej­u­dice. Although Mar­co and his fam­i­ly are out­siders in terms of their reli­gion, cul­ture, and lan­guage, they are safe. The Akiya­ma fam­i­ly, on the oth­er hand, is forced to leave their home, busi­ness, and com­mu­ni­ty because of unfound­ed fears about Japan­ese Amer­i­can disloyalty. At the same time, the Cal­vo fam­i­ly is ter­ri­fied about the fate of Europe’s Jews, which ulti­mate­ly con­tributes to Marco’s con­vic­tion that he must help oth­ers fac­ing oppres­sion.

Archival family photos helped Tuininga draw the faces for his characters and visits to Seattle were crucial in re-creating the locations that he drew. A few key scenes between Papoo and his friend Sam Akiyama take place at the waterfront, where the two men companionably fish by the pier. It’s a nod to the real-life Marco Calvo, who owned the Ferry Dock Tavern in the Colman Dock ferry terminal building (a business also depicted in the book).

5 out of 5 stars.