American Raccoon Dog visits the struggles and triumphs of a Japanese American male born to a rural Central Valley community. The novel explores the pain of living as a minority in a region that devalues diversity and the great wealth associated with reclaiming long-lost cultural pride and identity. Spanning two continents, the saga provides a historically and culturally accurate portrait of the life of a fourth-generation Japanese American and his family through a lens of humility, lightheartedness, and humor.