A Bowl Full of Peace
A True Story
Age 2+
Picture Storybooks
A powerful picture book about finding hope and peace after the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, timed to coincide with the 75th anniversary in August 2020.
In this deeply moving nonfiction picture book, award-winning author Caren Stelson brings Sachiko Yasui's story of surviving the atomic bombing of Nagasaki and her message of peace to a young audience.
Sachiko's family home was about half a mile from where the atomic bomb fell on August 9, 1945. Her family experienced devastating loss. When they returned to the rubble where their home once stood, her father miraculously found their serving bowl fully intact. This delicate, green, leaf-shaped bowl—which once held their daily meals—now holds memories of the past and serves as a vessel of hope, peace, and new traditions for Sachiko and the surviving members of her family.
Creators
Caren B. Stelson has an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Reviews
Stelson shares this true story with young readers through a thoughtful, moving text. Kusaka’s illustrations are powerful and vivid, bringing readers into Sachiko’s experiences and emotions. Their chalky, weathered texture helps to keep the terrifying two-spread sequence that depicts the bombing from completely overwhelming readers. Text and art work together to show the devastating, lasting consequences of war and to convey a message of hope and peace for the future. A heartbreaking but essential perspective on war and survival.
Kirkus Reviews
This book, written by the same author as the Sibert Honor–winning Sachiko, introduces the topic of nuclear war to a younger audience. A useful resource that could be tied to the International Day of Peace.
School Library Journal
