Hiroshima by Laurence Yep

Hiroshima, written by Laurence Yep, is a powerful historical fiction story that details the dropping of the first atomic bomb, including the events leading up to it and what happens afterwards. I remember learing about this awful part of our country's history in high school, however, I'm not sure that the details of the suffering that was incurred by the people of Hiroshima was quite as vivid as it told in this book. In this story, Yep introduces the reader to two sisters named Riko and Sachi, who are 16 and 12 years old respectively. The girls live in Hiroshima and are both in the city at the time of the bombing. Riko is killed instantly. Sachi survives but is left with terribly disfiguring scars, which cause her to become somewhat of a recluse. It isn't until years later that she is sent to America where doctors are able to repair some of her injuries and help her to feel as though she can return to her homeland to assist other survivors.

This book is written at a level that my 3rd and 4th graders could easily read, but the content and historical facts are not watered down at all. In fact, I found the information in this story to be so interesting that it prompted me to do some internet research on the aftermath of the atomic bomb and on the Hiroshima Maidens, which is the name given to the group of 25 women who traveled to America for numerous surgeries.

Interestingly enough, Yep dedicated this book to Yoshiko Uchida, another author whose books we are assigned to read, and he makes mention of Sadako, the child written about in the well-known story Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. Yep is also the author of many more books that feature Chinese characters, such as Dragonwings, Dragon's Gate, The Cook's Family, and The Tiger's Apprentice series.

References:

Yep, L. (1995). Hiroshima. New York: Scholastic Inc.

Fantastic Fiction. (2008). Hiroshima. Retrieved on March 5, 2008, from http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/y/laurence-yep/hiroshima.htm