Beyond Paradise

I just finished reading Beyond Paradise and I loved it. The author, Jane Hertenstein, used wonderful description, and I had a picture of each scene painted in my head. This book is a great way to teach us about the tragedies that took place in other countries during World War II. This book is about a fifteen year old girl, Louise and her family. They move to the Philippines during the beginning of World War II. As her father goes out to meet their friend's son, he is captured by the Japanese. Louise's Mother then feels awful and is too weak to do anything. Next, her family is captured too, but they are sent to a different internment camp called Santo Tomas Internment Camp. After suffering a whole year there she is told they well be set free. Everyone piles onto a ship when they are informed that they are just being sent to another camp. Then, it occurs to Louise that this was the camp her father was at. When she finally arrives she is informed that her father was just sent away. Finally she meets up with her father and they are all in the same camp together. After another year the American soldiers come and set them free. Louise becomes friends with a young soldier but eventually has to say a sad goodbye when Louise Keller returns to America. I recommend this book to anyone from ages 9-13. It has a wonderful plotline and extremely interesting characters. I was always eager to turn the page and find out what happened next.

...you'll love Beyond Paradise. Ms. Hartenstein's writing is subtle and beautiful. She handles a horrific experience, interrment during WWII, gently but honestly, for young readers. The main character, Louise, keeps a journal of poetry. These lovely poems are sprinkled through the text. I highly recommend this book, and I hope Ms Hertenstein writes more! END

As a nine to twelve year old girl in the Japanese internment camp, Santo Tomas Internment Camp in Manila, P I, I had many of the same experiences as Louise Keller. I was several years younger than Louise but the accuracy of Jane Hertenstein's novel is amazing. A friend gave me the book on Wednesday afternoon. I read the book Wednesday evening and was "blown" away. My memories came flooding in and my emotions flooding out. Ms. Hertenstein has done her homework. I would love to get in touch with her just to tell her how much I appreciated reading Beyond Paradise and that I have ordered six copies for my friends and my sister. I know of three different groups who are, at this time, are on their way over to the Philippines for the fifty fifth reunion of our liberation from the Japanese. By the way, I was born in Iloilo on the island of Panay in the Philippines!