Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes (Stoat books) (A Yearling book)

by Eleanor Coerr

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. For the legend holds that if a sick person folds one thousand 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.

Reviewed by cherryblossommj on

5 of 5 stars

Share
Why is it Anne Frank is so well known and a recommended read for young children learning about war and this one never came across to me until I started an Eastern Hemisphere study for my own children. Sadako covers so much. We listened to the audiobook while my nine-year-old read along on a day out spent in the car driving here and there.

Sadako covers cancer and impending death even in children as well as in the elderly. We stopped the audio to introduce the topic of Hiroshima and about war. We've never touched these topics before and this was a great subtle, gentle introduction.

Hiroshima. War. Poverty. Aftermath. Cancer. Leukemia. Hope. Community. Death. Asian culture.

So much good here. We borrowed it from the library but I highly intend to get us a copy eBooknor otherwise for our shelf. - 2018

UPDATED, March 2020: We now own a little pink Penguin Puffins Classics edition illustrated by Ronald Hilmer. I've heard there is an edition Illustrated by Ed Young (we have come to enjoy from Lon Po Po and Yeh-Shen). Coming from first experiencing the Audiobook it will be interesting to see pictures.

Last modified on

Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 2 August, 2018: Finished reading
  • 2 August, 2018: Reviewed