Author: Alison Lohans
Publisher: Heinemann Education, Reed Publishers (NZ),Nitty Gritty Novel Series 2, 2007
ISBN 978-1-86970-591-6
Winner: 2008 Saskatchewan Book Award (Young Adult category)
It is 1941 in rural California. Paula Harmon and Ken Nishimura have been friends and neighbours for as long as they can remember. But around them racial tension mounts as World War II intensifies and Pearl Harbor is bombed. Suddenly, Ken and his family are considered enemies in their own country. Paula and Ken’s friendship is tested and their lives changed forever by the horrifying events that follow…
Read a 4-Star Review in CM Magazine.
One of Resouce Links’ Years’ Best 2009.
Order this book from Pearson Education or from Alison.
Alison Lohans reads from This Land We Call Home at the launch at Book & Brier Patch.
Alison Lohans 
Good evening Alison.
I have just finished “This land we call home” which I plan on doing a novel study on with one of my Year 8 reading groups next term. I can only foresee what phenominal emotions and discussions will come from this group as we delft into your novel. I would have loved to do the sequel with them as well, but can only imagine that 9 months later after being on chapter 5 and tge need to find a new publisher, chances are slim. All the best with finishing the “Free to Come Home”. As so many others, I can’t wait fir it’s release.
Kind regards
C
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Thank you so much, Chantell, for your very kind words!
I’m truly puzzled by the May 2014 date at the top of the frame of your message, and am shocked, if that date is actually correct (though it says, below, that your comment is from 6 hours ago).
I’m honoured that you’re planning to do novel studies of This Land We Call Home with your Year 8 students. It will be interesting to hear what comes of this, with your group.
“Free to Come Home” is still in process; thank you so much for your best wishes!
best regards and thanks for your support,
Alison
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Hi Alison,
We just can’t wait for the sequel.
Our class just finished reading the novel,
Liz
Willetton, Perth, Australia
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Liz, how very lovely to find your message regarding This Land We Call Home! Thanks so much for getting in touch. As you might have already guessed, this book is very close to my heart.
As things stand, a sequel has been in progress for a while now – tentatively titled “Free to Come Home”, and which opens with Ken returning home to California, while the rest of his family remains in the Poston Arizona camp (because stubborn Papa refuses to leave until they shut down the camp). Even on his first night home Ken encounters blatant racism and, while walking off his restlessness because he’s unable to sleep, he is shot (not seriously) by someone in a truck. Paula, meanwhile, has been dating Danny – but upon seeing Ken, she has second thoughts. And Ken cannot stand for her to see his pain and humiliation.
Oddly, as things can happen in the writing world, sometimes one’s characters know more than their author does! Over a year ago I completed an adult novel (not yet published) – and was very surprised while writing it to discover that the hero just happened to be Ken and Paula’s son!! So I thought it was time to write the sequel to This Land We Call Home (which in all honesty got started much earlier, but had been sitting dormant for a while). Pearson New Zealand saw a very early outline, but it wasn’t a good fit for an upper Nitty Gritty level. Then a few years later the NZ branch shut down and, unfortunately, my connection with Pearson Australia is less strong. When the sequel is finished, I will most likely have to go looking for a different publisher.
Again, my sincerest thanks for your kind message!
Alison
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Hi, Alison Lohans. How are you, I hope you are having a good day.
I am a big fan of your book, “This land we call home,” and I was wondering when the sequel of this book will come out.
Kind regards
Amelia Smith
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Hi, Amelia! How lovely to hear from you. It warms my heart when people get in touch about This Land We Call Home, so your message is greatly appreciated.
As things go at the moment, tomorrow I’m heading off to a writing retreat, where I plan to do more work on Free to Come Home. It’s been rather tough going, because Ken and Paula are now three years older and (perhaps not surprisingly?) fall in love at a time when such relationships were looked upon “very poorly”, if not completely forbidden – and as a writer, I need to “feel” all of this and write about it in a manner that is suitable for that historic time.
At the moment, Ken is in hospital. His first night home while out walking on a country road, a hostile stranger shot him in the shoulder! The next day Paula skipped out of school because she was so terribly upset and, when lighting the incinerator to burn the household trash, there was a second accident and her skirt caught fire. Ken, the first to come to the rescue, was badly burned himself in the process of saving her. The new chapter I’ll start working on tomorrow will be from Paula’s viewpoint.
With this development of being “for older readers” I will most likely need to find a different publisher?
At any rate, thank you so much for getting in contact!
best wishes to you, Amelia
Alison
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Dear, Ms Lohans
Thank you so much for replying to my message.
Kind Regards
Amelia
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I have forgotten the name of Ken-ichis dog,
But this book is really good! 5/5 rating for me
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Hi, Isabelle! How lovely to hear that you enjoyed This Land We Call Home, so much!
The dog’s name is Prince.
At the moment I’m 5 chapters into a sequel, where Ken’ichi comes home (basically, where the first book leaves off). Prince is in “Free to Come Home” as well.
I don’t have a publisher for this one, so it may be a while….!
Thanks so much for getting in touch 🙂
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i love this book i have read it 5 times the best book ever
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Hi, Madysonn – Thanks so very much for your kind words about This Land We Call Home!
That book is very dear to my heart, and your comment has gotten my day off to a lovely start.
Isn’t it amazing how reading opens up all sorts of new worlds to us? Enjoy! 🙂
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