Reference
This book is a memoir of Tomiko Higa.
Seven year old Tomiko Higa’s world changes when she and her siblings must flee their home after fighting intensifies in Okinawa. With their father’s words engrained in their heads to leave their home if he didn’t return from his trip from he nearby village, the children set off in search of safety. When Nina (her brother) gets shot, and Tomika gets separated from her sisters, Tomiko finds the courage and strength to persevere. She uses her inner resources, words of wisdom from her father, locates food off dead soldiers, uses animals to help guide her to food and water to survive, all the while searching for her sisters. When Tomiko stumbles across a cave where an elderly husband and wife are hiding, she uses their knowledge to help her keep going on. When a loudspeaker announcement is heard that the Japanese have surrendered, the couple hastily make a white flag for Tomiko to use as she exited the cave. Her picture was taken by a U.S. soldier, and the sisters are eventually reunited.
Time jumps ahead. Tomiko sees the photograph of herself in a book. She ultimately seeks out the photographer, and eventually brings closure to that episode of her life.
How to Use The Girl with the White Flag in the classroom:
This memoir is well written. Students will be amazed at the qualities this little girl has for surviving. The Girl with the White Flag could be read independently by middle schoolers but could also be used by high school students as well. Some background knowledge of World War II (Pacific Theater) would be helpful for the students’ comprehension, but even without it, the manner in which the book is written allows students to grasp the concept of what is occurring. Additionally, it could lend itself as a great read aloud; it offers a lot of opportunities for discussion. Lastly, with the photographs that are included in the book, the memoir becomes even more real.
Possible discussion topics (critical thinking) for students
1. Picture yourself at seven. Do you think you would have the ability to fend for yourself? Why was Tomiko able to do this?
2. Unlike other shiding in caves, the elderly couple (“grandpa and grandma”) were very kind to Tomiko. Why do you think this was so?
3. Adult Tomiko did not share with anyone that she had been photographed. When she and her husband saw this captured on a film segment, and he mentioned that the little girl looked liked her, she finally admitted she was the little girl. Why had Tomiko concealed this information all these years?
4. When Tomiko met up with her sisters, she was somewhat reserved. What do you think made her respond this way?
5. In just a short amount of time (April until June), Tomiko faced many hardships because of the war. Speculate how Tomiko was able to do this at such a young age (loss of mother, father not returned, death of brother,
separated from sisters).
