Sue DiCicco

I received an ARC from School Library Journal in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Mashari Sasaki, a survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bombing, and Sue DiCicco, founder of The Peace Crane Project, have produced a moving account of the life and death of Sasaki’s sister, Sadako Sasaki. Only 2 years old when the atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, Sasaski did not begin to develop physical symptoms related to the event until she was completing sixth grade. Life was hard for everyone after World War II ended and Sasaki’s family was not spared either emotional or economic adversity. Once Sadako began to show symptoms of leukemia in 1955, the illness quickly hospitalized her and, even though the doctors tried valiantly to save her, Sadako died eight months after her diagnosis. However, Sadako made a tremendous impact on all who met her.
Sadako learned about the legend of the paper cranes during the final months of her life from her father. The legend requires at least 1,000 paper cranes to be folded to earn a wish and Sadako folded many more than the minimum. Even when it became clear that Sadako’s wish for good health was not going to be granted, she continued to fold paper cranes. After her death, the paper crane became a symbol of Sadako and her dream of peace and hope for everyone.

While clearly a loving memoir written by a devoted family member, The Complete Story of Sadako Sasaki and the Thousand Paper Cranes does offer a unique younger perspective of the aftereffects of the atomic bombings in Japan in 1945. For those who enjoyed Sachiko: A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor's Story by Caren Stelson and Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin.… (meer)