During the dark days of World War II, President Roosevelt signed an act that required Japanese Americans to be relocated to interment camps for the duration of the war with Japan. A absolute act of racism, these people “looked” foreign and so were treated as such. In Tallgrass we read of one such camp in Colorado. Told from the point of view of a young girl who lives next to the camp, the story revolves around a horrific murder and the suspicions that arise because of it. The small town of Ellis, Colorado and it’s inhabitants aren’t bad people, but fear and prejudice, plus strong patriotic feelings after Pearl Harbor, allow many to turn away from the few that persist in taunting and tormenting the Japanese. Life, as seen through the eyes of thirteen year old Rennie is changing and change can be at times confusing and scary. This is my second book by Sandra Dallas and she is rapidly becoming one of my favorite authors. Her characters come alive on the pages and I know I will be thinking of them for some time to come. Her storytelling is rich and rewarding, and the addition of the mystery to this poignant story made for an engrossing read.

I loved this book. Great inside to part of WW2 history not often found in books.