"Hiroshima-born Sadako is lively and athletic-- the star of her school's running team. And then the dizzy spells start. Soon gravely ill with leukemia, the 'atom bomb disease,' Sadako faces her future with spirit and bravery. Recalling a Japanese legend, Sadako sets to work folding paper cranes, the gods will grant her wish and make her healthy again. Based on a true story, Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes celebrates the extraordinary courage that made one young woman a heroine in Japan."
I read this book many years ago in elementary school. It was when we had these gigantic books with excerpts of other books. The story has stuck with me all this time, so it was nice to be able to sit down during the fifth graders' double-art time and read this heart-breaking story again.
One thing that I wish is that this book was longer. It acts as an introduction to this period of time in this particular place. At least that's how I'm treating it with my reading group. Since this is a 60-page book, I'm having my small group write five-paragraph essays about some part of Japanese culture or this part of history. I have one boy that is interested in learning and writing about the atomic bomb being dropped on Hiroshima, so I'm going to help facilitate that project of his.
I appreciate that Sadako was a real person. I think it brings into focus the fact that this is a real event that effected real people. This is a side of the World War II aftermath that not a lot of people hear about. Most of the time there is an interest in how Europe recovered from this awful war. Because when we think World War II, we think of Hitler. But this war was so much bigger and more involved than Hitler, even though he was the face and leader of despicable crimes.
I love this book and I always will. I hope that you'll love it too.
I give 'Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes':
--Jude
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