Manami lives on Bainbridge Island with her parents, grandfather, and dog, Yujiin. They are forced to "evacuate" to an internment camp during WWII. Manami tries to sneak her dog along but gets caught on the mainland. The heartbreak leads to Manami not speaking and her grandfather rarely leaving their barrack. As the story progresses, both of them gradually heal. Sepahban tells a wonderful story about the pain of loss, one that will also help children understand what life was like in internment camps in the United States.