Valley of the Heart (Clean)

As war takes a devastating toll, Benjamin withdraws from the family he fought to build. Decades later, love, loss, and resilience come full circle. This is the companion piece to the VALLEY OF THE HEART CURRICULUM GUIDE. Explicit content has been edited to be suitable for Grades 4th-8th.

Incarcerated at Heart Mountain, Thelma raises her newborn amid harsh conditions and rising tensions. Benjamin struggles to hold the ranch together, but family conflict drives him away. This is the companion piece to the VALLEY OF THE HEART CURRICULUM GUIDE. Explicit content has been edited to be suitable for Grades 4th-8th.

Forced removal looms under Executive Order 9066. Thelma elopes with Benjamin as both families face violence, heartbreak, and an uncertain future. This is the companion piece to the VALLEY OF THE HEART CURRICULUM GUIDE. Explicit content has been edited to be suitable for Grades 4th-8th.

After Pearl Harbor, fear and suspicion turn on Japanese American families. Ichiro is arrested and tensions rise. Thelma and Benjamin cling to each other while their world begins to unravel. This is the companion piece to the VALLEY OF THE HEART CURRICULUM GUIDE. Explicit content has been edited to be suitable for Grades 4th-8th.

Old Benjamin recalls a time when immigrant families farmed the Santa Clara Valley. As the Montaños and Yamaguchis struggle through the Depression, Benjamin and Thelma’s secret love is torn apart when she chooses family duty over their future. This is the companion piece to the VALLEY OF THE HEART CURRICULUM GUIDE. Explicit content has been edited to be suitable for Grades 4th-8th.