Books by Jean Davies Okimoto

When Jake and Emma escape a Pacific Northwest sheepherding contest, little do they know they will find a place where they were always meant to be...A warm, funny story that shows competition is not for everyone, Jake and Emma's Island Getaway celebrates the quirkiness and beauty of the Pacific Northwest and the timeless value of friendship.

Rodney Suyama has two impossible dreams... to be a rap star and to go out with gorgeous Ivy Ramos. Set in the nineties at the dawn of rap, a witty and determined young man gets in touch with his past while taking control of his future in this romantic, poignant and hilarious novel by Jean Davies Okimoto. "A celebration of diversity." -Signal "A story of ethnic pride, first love and determination to overcome stereotypes. Okimoto's talents give this book the same wide appeal as her earlier titles Jason's Women and Molly By Any Other Name." -School Library Journal ". . . humor and empathy that will engage the reader." -The ALAN Review

Newly arrived from Kazakhstan, twelve-year-old Maya Alazova resents the way her mother babies her brother, but when she leaves her English Language Learner program for mainstream classes and has to deal with a boy, a bully, and conflict at home, she finds her brother can help with their new culture in ways their parents can't.

Where did she come from? Molly Jane Fletcher was adopted. She's known it for as long as she can remember. It's not something that usually bothers her, but lately, it's all she can think about. Now Molly has a chance to find her birthmother--a chance to understand where she came from, and why she was given away. But the Fletchers aren't happy about her decision to unearth the past. They're afraid that everyone involved may get hurt. That's a chance that Molly may be willing to take. "Skillfully and sensitively written can make you laugh and cry at a single sitting." -Voice of Youth Advocates "Okimoto writes about the elemental search for roots, the fear as well as the great happiness it can bring." -Booklist "A book that goes beyond the adoption topic to encompass family feelings and dynamics." -School Library Journal