The Summary on the verso explains that the book is "[b]ased on the true life story of Alice Sumida, who with her husband Mark established the largest gladiola bulb farm in the country during the last half of the twentieth century." The pictures seem to be based on old, slightly faded photographs. Alice and her husband overcome many difficult circumstances, including being Japanese American during World War II, with realistic optimism and much effort. She has a dry sense of humor: describing their first business venture---leasing 200 acres of land to farm---she says, "Our first harvest was a harvest of stones." ( )

Music for Alice is a beautiful story about Alice, a Japanese-American farmer and her journey of economic survival during and after WWII.

I really like this book. I thought that the author did a good job of writing about a historical event that was so hard for a certain group of people. His writing style was light, he found a way to make concentration camps appealing for young readers. I also enjoyed the illustrations as well. They were very realistic and I thought enhanced the text very well. I also enjoyed the plot because the woman Alice, had such a hard time in her life, but when she was older she realized she couldn't finally let go of her past and follow her dreams to become a dancer. I think the big picture of this story is to never give up on your dreams. ( )

This a a heartwarming tale about hardships and overcoming them. The book goes from depressing to a happy ending by dreams coming true. The book also shows what some Japanese Americans had to over come during WWII.

Alice is a Japanese American, who loves to dance, living in Seattle, WA when Pearl Harbor was bombed. She and her husband Mark were sent to an internment camp in Portland, OR where they volunteered to work beet fields in the Oregon desert country. The work was very hard, but eventually Alice and Mark are able to have their own plot of land to farm. They end up becoming the largest gladiola bulb growers in the U.S. Soon after Mark dies Alice sells the farm. She misses seeing the beautiful fields of gladioli, but she loves that she has more time dance. The writing in " Music for Alice" has an underlying quiet rhythm. Though the story is about internment that fact is proudly kept in the back ground while the story of perseverance and amazing capability is brought to the forefront. ( )