It must be difficult for three young people living alone on the streets to retain their cultural identity and to hold on to family traditions. Yet through all their suffering, the Kawashimas dig deep into their past and find comfort in the life they once knew.

Watkins recounts incidents from happier times to help us understand the strength of their family bonds. She uses flashbacks to recount the horrific story of her struggle, but she also uses them to relay pieces of advice her father and sister once gave her— words of wisdom that impressed her when she was young, and that helped her carry the Kawashima pride and develop a set of values later in life. She also recounts instances when Ko and Hideyo imitate gestures or actions they learned from their parents, or instances when she imitates actions she learned from Ko. Watkins...