When a little boy from Montana and his family move across the world to Japan, he faces the challenges of moving, learning a new language and adapting to a new culture. But his new school and the friends he makes there make living in Japan fun! One day, when he overhears another boy calling him half , he asks his father what it means-and learns a lesson he’ll never forget.Loosely based on his own experiences as a father living and teaching in Japan, Rod Gottula’s book explores how people of mixed races or cultures are referred to as half -a term which fails to take into account the tremendous beauty and sophistication that accompanies those who walk in two worlds.
By emphasizing the positive aspects of being multicultural and bilingual, Double! Not Half. aims to increase the reader’s understanding of cultural diversity and the benefits that come with it. Its beautifully simple message of inclusion will foster appreciation for the value and potential that lies within every human being. The book’s illustrator, Arthur Lin, utilizes the warmth of watercolors to create an authentic cultural experience that brings the story to life.