Home of the Brave

Say, Allen. (2002). Home of the Brave. New York: Houghton Mifflin Co. 32pp. ISBN: 0-618-21223-X

During World War II, more than 120,000 men, women, and children of Japanese descent living in America were incarcerated in internment camps by the United States government. Now, sixty years later, Caldecott medalist Allen Say eloquently depicts this dark moment in history with Home of the Brave. This timely and provocative book is the story of one man's confrontation of his own family's imprisonment in these remote and inhospitable sites. Say's paintings capture the bewilderment of the young man on a surreal journey and the desolation and loneliness of the children residing in the camps. His prose is haunting and provokes the reader to reflect on what these camps mean in the scope of American history. 
http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/authors/allensay/

As a potential social studies teacher, I see this book as a great way to introduce a unit on concentration camps. It could be used either at the beginning or end of a unit. It is relatively abstract so it may require some prior knowledge to understand.