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The Last Paper Crane

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( 1,735 ratings, 343 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Last Paper Crane by Kerry Drewery is a powerful story set in the aftermath of the Hiroshima bombing. It follows the journey of a young man named Ichiro as he grapples with the haunting memories of that fateful day. With a promise to fulfil and a paper crane as a symbol of hope, Ichiro's tale unfolds across generations, revealing themes of perseverance, resilience, and the enduring power of hope.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This poignant story may appeal to you if you enjoy narratives that blend historical events with profound personal journeys. Through evocative storytelling, the authors explore themes of memory, endurance, and hope against a backdrop of World War II's aftermath. Ideal for readers interested in young adult fiction that delves deeply into emotional and historical depths.

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The haunting story of a promise made long ago ... a powerful novel set in contemporary Japan and also in 1945, Hiroshima, the day the nuclear bomb was so devastatingly dropped on the city

The haunting story of a promise made long ago ... a powerful novel set in contemporary Japan and also in 1945, Hiroshima, the day the nuclear bomb was so devastatingly dropped on the city

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Nominated for the 2021 CILIP Carnegie Medal, joint winner of the UKLA 11-14 Book Award 2021 and winner of the Warwickshire Schools Library Award.

A Japanese teenager, Mizuki, is worried about her grandfather who is clearly desperately upset about something. He says that he has never got over something that happened in his past and gently Mizuki persuades him to tell her what it is.

We are taken to 1945, Hiroshima, and Mizuki's grandfather as a teenage boy chatting at home with his friend Hiro. Moments later the horrific nuclear bomb is dropped on Hiroshima. What follows is a searing account of the blinding flash, the harrowing search for family, and the devastation both human and physical.

There is also the very moving and human story as the two teenage boys with great bravery search for and find Keiko, Hiro's five-year-old sister. But then Keiko is lost when Mizuki's grandfather has no option but to leave her in a safe place while he goes for help. Despite a desperate search in the aftermath of the bomb, where he leaves origami folded paper cranes for Keiko with his address on everywhere a survivor could be, he cannot find her.

A powerful novel that, despite its harrowing subject matter, has hope at its heart.

The Last Paper Crane

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Last Paper Crane by Kerry Drewery is praised for its emotional depth and poignant storytelling. Reviewers commend its dual narrative structure, blending verse and prose to explore themes of survival and redemption. The historical context of Hiroshima's atomic bombing is depicted through a personal lens, capturing both the horror and the enduring hope. The book's lyrical and poetic writing receives high praise, making it a recommended read for young adults and school libraries.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781471413537

Publisher: Hot Key Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 04 August 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Hot Key Books

Contributors:

  • Illustrated by Natsko Seki
  • Illustrated by Natsko Seki

Audience: Teenage

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 20.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 208g

Pages: 304

About the Author

Kerry Drewery is the author of the CELL 7 trilogy, the first of which was shortlisted for the Lancashire Libraries Book of the Year 2018 and has been translated into more than a dozen languages, as well as two other highly acclaimed YA novels: A BRIGHTER FEAR, 2012 (which was Love Reading 4 Kids Book of the Month and shortlisted for the Leeds Book Award) and A DREAM OF LIGHTS, 2013 (which was nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Medal, awarded Highly Commended at the North East Teen Book Awards and shortlisted for the Hampshire Independent Schools Book Awards). Both were published by HarperCollins in the UK and Callenbach in The Netherlands.

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