Heart of a Samurai

by Margi Preus
Lexile:  760
Genre:  Historical Fiction

Manjiro and his four friends don't know if they are going to survive.  They have been stranded on a desert island after a storm destroyed their fishing boat.  They are near death when they are rescued by some American sailors from a whaling boat.  Manjiro has heard terrible stories about these barbarians, but not everything he has heard is true.  An unlikely friendship grows between Manjiro and the captain that causes Manjiro think long and hard about what his hopes and dreams are for the future.