Ms. May

For English teacher Ms. Amy May, deciding between just one book was a tough decision. There was one, however, which stood out compared to the rest, “No-No Boy” by John Okada being her favorite book she read in 2022. 

“No-No Boy” is unique compared to many books about World War II. Instead of focusing on the hardships people faced during the internment camps, the novel highlights life beyond. “There aren’t as many books that really show what happened to people afterward, what kind of fragmentation happened in communities because of this. So I think this is really important because of that.” Ms. May said.

The book is fiction, depicting a story following the “no-no boys,” a group which answered “no” twice on a government questionnaire that asked the internees if they would serve loyally to the very country which imprisoned them. 

Ms. May has been curating a list of novels that she’s been wanting to read since 2000. “Last summer, I was like, ‘I’m going to get through this list of books, and I’m going to choose some for my students to read next year,’” she said. “And that was one of the books that I thought was a potential book.”

The book was extremely impactful to Ms. May. “I think everyone should have to read this book,” she said. “I think it should be required reading for all students.”

Growing up in and out of foster care, Ms. May’s love for reading stems from childhood memories of her mother. “My mom was absent quite a bit,” she said. “But when my mom spent time with me, she really loved to read to me and so it was a way to definitely spend time with her … and then it became something that I just really enjoyed doing, even when she wasn’t around.”