1. Research the historical context of Japanese-Korean relations during World War II. Do you believe Watkins provided an accurate depiction of the situation in Korea, or do you feel her portrayal was biased?

2. Detail the various escape routes from Korea to Japan and highlight some of the challenges refugees likely encountered on each path.

3. Examine the Treaty of Portsmouth and discuss its effects on families like Yoko's.

4. Explore the methods used by the Japanese to dominate the Koreans and treat them as second-class citizens in their own land. Provide examples from Watkins's book to illustrate this.

5. Present an argument explaining why the Japanese decided to seize control of Korea.

6. Describe some of the human rights abuses Yoko observed during her escape to Japan.

7. How did Hideyo's refugee experience differ from Yoko's? What were the distinct challenges faced by men and women?

8. Discuss what Hideyo might have witnessed at the 38th parallel.

9. Select another survival story from the titles listed below. Compare and contrast Yoko's experiences with those of a character in one of these books.