Margi Preus

In 1841, rescued by an American whaler after a terrible shipwreck leaves him and his four companions castaways on a remote island, fourteen-year-old Manjiro, who dreams of becoming a samurai, learns new laws and customs as he becomes the first Japanese person to set foot in the United States.

Heart of a Samurai

Nadine 

Interesting book pitched at middle school level about John Mung (Manjiro) the first Japanese person to sail to America, and who made important contributions to the opening up of Japan.

Great as a historical novel about a time when whales were thought to be so plenty that they'd never run out, most of the book takes place on the whaling vessel that rescued him and his companions. Quite a bit on the mutual distrust, animosity and fear of both Japanese for Westerners and vice versa. The book is a bit "front loaded" so a lot about the stranding on an island, the voyage to America and too little about his life back in Japan and his contribution to geo-politics. Probably a conscious choice given the fact that it's geared at younger readers who would identify more with him as a boy.