Tomo 友

Why Tomo?

The Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11, 2011, resulted in a massive tsunami that caused the loss of life and livelihood for thousands of people in the northern Tohoku region of Japan. So many teens in Tohoku have lost parents, siblings, relatives, friends, homes, schools, and huge swaths of their cities, towns and villages. Their teen worlds have been upended.

Tomo: Friendship Through Fiction

was published on March 10, 2012. Proceeds from the sales of

Tomo: Friendship Through Fiction

will go to organizations that assist teens in the quake and tsunami hit areas.

Tomo,

which means friend in Japanese, aims to bring Japan stories to young adult readers worldwide, and in so doing, help support teens in Tohoku.