A gentle, haunting tale; a strong narrative with a long moral reach. During World War II, Sara, a schoolgirl, is evacuated to live with her aunt and uncle in Vancouver. The family gardener, Mr. Ito, a decorated hero of the Great War, becomes Sara's special friend. Mr. Ito encourages Sara to think for herself; introduces her to the concept of many paths to enlightenment; and teaches her to appreciate the continuity of life, which is expressed in the delicate but sturdy bonsai trees he tends. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and Hong Kong, Japanese-Canadians are persecuted and interned, but Sara manages to maintain her relationship with the Itos. Garrigue's characters are kind, bigoted, petty, warm, stubborn, capable of change. Sara's is a beautiful portrait: as she grows she becomes aware that the total cost of war includes the wreckage of the lives of "little people" as well as the dry statistics of battlefield reports. Characters and setting give a genuine feeling for the time and place. Sara's undercover adventure in the Itos' camp and her meeting there with her Japanese-baiting security official uncle are a bit much for readers to accept; yet, these things do not mar the story. A serious subject handled without the preaching which could overwhelm the plot. The message here is one of respect for diverse traditions, of hope, of reconciliation.