Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

I really liked reading Waka’s story. The main complaint I have about this was that I have a hard time telling if this is fiction or a memoir?

I have been meaning to review this book from the day I read it earlier this year, but somehow it slipped through. Anyways, here it is now: a quick mini-review for a book that I devoured from end to end.

Waka is amazing at taking her readers directly to the story with exactly the right amount of details needed – like perfection! She does a superb job of capturing the frustrations of her middle-school self, and all that comes with it; including about being suspended between two cultures, of experiencing a culture shock least expected; about the complex and not so easy yet heartwarming and very real relationship with her grandmother, as well as her relationships with the rest of her family and friends (old and new); and last but not least, her look into life in both Japan and in the US in the 1980s.

As a parent of teens who very likely have that same feeling of suspension between cultures, and as someone who was a tween/teen in India in the 1980s, I was able to relate to and identify with a lot of this simply wonderful, must-read memoir. That said, Waka has managed to make this 1980s memoir of balance between two cultures timeless and universal, and just about anyone can identify with all that she writes about here.

Thanks to Netgalley for the e-rc of this book. These are my honest opinions of the book.

I really enjoyed reading this one, and I can certainly recommend that it be added to collections, be they libraries or personal collections.

Twelve-year-old Waka is a typical American tween. She does well in school and has lots of friends. Unfortunately, her Japanese-born parents have decided that she's a little too American. She doesn't understand many of the Japanese phrases her parents use and she's unable to read or write in Japanese. Her parents decide to send her to Japan for a time to attend school and stay with relatives. Waka feels like her life is over, but in many ways, it's just begun. School is difficult; instead of being the smart kid, she is the dumb foreigner. Her relationship with her Obaasama is complicated by differences in age, culture, and personality.

This book is a memoir, and the similarities between Waka and her classmates are surprising. Twelve-year-olds have differences, but they also have a lot in common. Waka works hard and learns as time goes on. When it is time to go back to Kansas, she knows a part of her will always stay in Japan. This book may help tweens have compassion for others who appear different. If so, it will have done something very important.

This is a wonderful, highly readable book and will be a valuable addition to any middle grade or public library Thank you to NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you #NetGalley for the early copy. I loved this book and would share it with my students. I love the diversity and the opportunity it gives students to learn about other cultures.

A lovely memoir about walking in two cultures and being a fish out of water who learns to swim.. Waka T. Brown's While I Was Away offers readers a window into 1980's Japan and what it is to live in a culture that's totally familiar yet views you as different.

When 6th grader Waka's parents send her to Japan to live with her grandmother and improve her Japanese language skills, it feels like a punishment. There couldn't be a worse time to be separated from your friends and everything that's familiar. But the experience turns into an opportunity to learn more about her family, herself, and how both Japanese and American cultures shape her view of the world.

I loved that Brown included visual examples of shuuji, Japanese calligraphy, and explained a little bit about kanji, hiragana and how the language works.

That said, this is 6th/7th grade and it's not always pretty -- there's teasing and bullying, having to choose between friend groups, and even an episode where her grandmother accuses her of lying and locks her out of the house. Waka is direct about sharing her thoughts and feelings about all of these things with the reader. And I loved that in the end she reflects on the entire experience and what she learned, rather than leaving it open-ended.

Waka T. Brown recounts the 5 month journey she went on as a 6th grader to her family's home country of Japan in this nuanced and beautiful middle grade memoir. This book also serves as Brown's debut book, although with its rich descriptions and melodic pacing, it certainly feels as through the author has been writing for a very long time.

Waka is sent to live with her grandmother after her parents show concern in her ability to communicate in Japanese. As a first generation American, Waka is caught between the American culture in which she lives in and the Japanese culture her family is from. As to be expected of a 12 year old who has been told she will miss out on part of 6th and 7th grade to go to a public Japanese school, Waka is initially upset at her parent's decision to send her to her grandmother in Japan. When I first read the book, I was expecting the story to fall in place accordingly: Waka dislikes Japan and feels ostracized, but then makes friends, learns to love her grandmother, and then does not want to leave. What I received was a story that was much more nuanced. While Waka learns more about her grandmother and makes a few friends, there is an even greater focus on how Waka herself grows from the journey. Her friendships and connections made in Japan are realistic and memorable. Waka's teacher in Japan is patient and caring, making Waka feel welcome despite unruly students in the class. Children form cliques with each other, and Waka must decide who she truly wants to consider a friend on her own. There are plenty of relationships in the book to think about and delve into, and the book definitely feels true and not-larger-than-life.

The most interesting relationship in the book is certainly between Waka and her grandmother. Waka hears stories about her grandmother being harsh and favoring boys before she is even on Japanese soil. Waka is unsure about the rumors as well as being away from other people her age at home. When Waka arrives, their relationship is often shown with awkward silences and downtime. As the story progresses, Waka slowly learns more about her grandmother's life. Waka and her grandmother's relationship are not perfect. Some exchanges lead to arguments and hurt feelings. Despite this, there is an undeniable (yet unspoken) love the two foster for each other throughout the book. This relationship felt incredibly realistic considering the personalities of the author and her grandmother, and I appreciated that the complexity of the relationship wasn't simplified for a happier middle grade ending.

Other aspects that I appreciated was the fact the story did not follow a traditional three act structure like Westernized novels typically are. Instead, Brown lets the story meander and float like the flower petals mentioned in the story. Waka is a wandering spirit, trying to make sense of where she fits in the world. While I was Away is a lovely and realistic story of a girl who learns more about her language, culture, and family by returning to her parents' home country. As life changing as a 5 month journey to another country would be for anyone, it doesn't answer all of Waka's struggles and questions about the world around her. The story ends with Waka returning home to America, with a sense that she is changed, and must still decide who she is.

If this book peaks your interest, please make sure to preorder this book or pick it up at your local bookstore on January 26th, 2021. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for giving me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

**Thank you to NetGalley, author Waka T. Brown, and HarperCollins Children's Books for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.**

Wow, what an amazing debut novel by Waka T. Brown. This memoir is full of emotion, inspiration, frustration, and self-discovery. Brown shares her story of traveling alone and living in Japan with her Obaasama (grandmother) for five months in 1983-'84. She shares the raw emotion behind not wanting to go by herself and attend the local Japanese school along with the adventures that helped her to discover who she truly wanted to be.

One of the pieces of this story that I absolutely loved was the Japanese culture intricately woven throughout. Brown added in the Japanese spelling and writing for words with descriptions of what they meant, shared traditions of food and dress, described the beautiful natural scenery of Japanese streets, and so much more. This was a really interesting part of the story for me as a reader because I was able to learn more about the life that Brown and her family grew up in, and her descriptions made it easy for me to paint the pictures in my head.

The writing is engaging but not too mature for the intended audience. Brown does a wonderful job shaping together words and stories that brings her experiences to life. I also really hope that the final edition will keep the images throughout. This was a great addition to the story and did not take away from the writing or age-level at all. I really enjoyed seeing the flowers, letters, and words that Brown was experiencing in those moments.

The one thing that did stand out a bit was the pace of the story for the audience. Though this is written from a middle-grade perspective, I think the content of the story is more suited for a young adult reader and up. By this, I mean that the content is not quick-paced and action-packed (not a bad thing!), but because of this, I am not sure how interested middle-grade readers would be in the story. As a new-adult-aged reader, I was really invested in Brown's story and found it engaging to learn so much about her experience with American and Japanese cultural overlaps and the traditional Japanese culture that is woven throughout, but for a younger reader, this may not be as appealing because there was not a ton of "high-intensity" moments.

Overall, though, I see this as a book that I will recommend in the future for those looking for an interesting, engaging, and inspiring nonfiction memoir.

Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Child abuse

Minor: Cancer and Death; brief discussions of body image; death of a family member

This is a book that will appeal to kids who like school stories. There's nothing that makes it stand apart from other middle grade memoirs--the writing is good but not incredible, and the fish-out-of-water element is interesting but not unique. I think it's a cool perspective and an interesting story.

While I enjoyed learning what 80's Japan was like, I kept waiting for something to happen in the book. It felt like it meandered more than a kid might have interest in reading about. The grandma's descent into aggressive/abusive behavior was surprising, even though the reader had been warned, and the end felt sudden.

I very much enjoyed the cultural insights and character progression in this novel. Young readers will empathize with the author’s journey in their own way as the concepts of family, fitting in, and figuring out your place are universally relatable. Highly recommended!

While I Was Away was an astounding book that took me out of my own thoughts and worries and brought me directly into 12-year-old Waka's life. Being shipped across the globe to live in her parents' home country with only her Obaasama (grandmother), Waka has to deal with getting to know a completely new country, learning to read Japanese, and trying to fit in among middle school drama with cliques and more. This memoir was an incredible read and is highly recommended to all--not just kids.

Feeling like a dumb Japanese, Waka's anxieties are entirely relatable when she finds herself shipped off to Japan, during summer holidays, so she can connect to her family's roots. Things only get worse as she struggles with reading and writing, and relating to the other students. Waka has never felt more like an outsider. Based on her own personal experiences, Waka T. Brown's middle grade book shares an empowering message about the importance of family, belonging, and cultural ties.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for the e-arc.

Waka T. Brown tells a well-crafted story of the summer she spent in Japan with her grandmother, attending school in the hopes that her Japanese language skills would improve. Through her twelve-year-old eyes, we learn what it's like to feel split between two cultures as Waka navigates the complex social rules in her grandmother's house and at her new school.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.

While I Was Away is an emotional memoir which reflects on a time in the author's life spanning only a few months but which clearly had a lasting impact on her. Young Waka was sent to live with her grandmother in Japan for several months to attend school in Japan and, her parents hope, to improve her Japanese. While she is sure this will be the worst experience of her life, it ends up being educational and valuable, with a range of positive and negative events.

It took me a little while to get into this book, but I ended up reading the second half in one sitting. Brown really pulls the reader into feeling how she felt as a child: neglected by her parents, left behind by her friends back home, unwanted by an old friend in Japan, angry and scared after a particularly upsetting experience with her grandmother, and so on (regardless of whether these were true from, say, the side of her parents, who certainly weren't trying to get rid of her). But beyond these, she also describes a lot of positive experiences which show a happier side of her time in Japan, from playing with cousins and a neighbor to buying things at Japanese stationary stores.

I do wish the author's note had been at the beginning of the book. Brown makes a good point about memory not always being accurate, but that she tried her best to write events as they really happened. She also described (briefly) how things have changed in terms of punishment in schools both in the U.S. and in Japan since the 1980s and introduces some Japanese pronunciations. I think it would be helpful for kids to have this information in mind as they read the book, rather than afterwards.

Overall, I found this to be a well-written, worthwhile read, and I think kids in the target age who read it will relate to Waka's experiences.