Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes

By Eleanor Coerr

Puffin Books, 1977

I first read about Sadako years ago in elementary school. It could have been in grade three or four, who knows.

For whatever reason, Sadako`s story struck something with me because, thirty years later, it`s still there. 

When my eight year old son first started folding paper airplanes, my brain quickly moved to origami paper planes, to origami paper cranes, to the story of Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes.

I`m amazed at the way my brain works sometimes!

Published in 1977, Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes tells the true story of a Japanese girl, Sadako, who lived in Hiroshima when the United States Air Force dropped an atomic bomb on the city to force an end to World War II.

Like many others who were exposed to the bomb’s radiation, Sadako developed leukemia. While hospitalized, a friend told Sadako about a Japanese legend that says if a sick person folds one thousand paper cranes they would regain their health.

Sadako started folding, but sadly, she never finished. 

She died on October 25, 1955.

Her classmates took up the quest and folded the remaining three hundred and fifty-six cranes to make one thousand.

In doing a bit of research, I discovered that  in 1958 a statue of Sadako was erected in the Hiroshima Peace Park. Apparently people still fold paper cranes and place them at the base of the statue every year on August 6, also known as, Peace Day.

This book is a quick, but touching, read for an adult and an easy read for a grade four or five student. Mind you, I am not up on reading levels so I could be way off. However, it does look like a book my own grade four student could easily manage.

He didn`t read it, though. One glance at the girl wearing a kimono on the cover and he said, “forget it”.      

That does bring me to the many benefits of origami. As an occupational therapist (OT) in my life before children, I am always on the lookout for great activities for kids.

Origami is a great activity for kids.

Older kids. Younger kids.

What benefits does origami have from an OT’s perspective? (Technically I can’t call myself an OT anymore as I no longer hold a license to practice.)

Glad you asked...

Fine motor skills

Following instructions

Attention to detail

Problem solving

Attention span

Visual perception

To name a few....

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes includes complete instructions on how to make paper cranes. Which is a great tie in for readers.

You can fold a paper crane too! It's not hard.

While origami is usually done with special origami paper, practice a few cranes on plain old paper cut into a perfect square.

Then, go buy the fancy paper.

The Joy of Reading Children's Books

So begins a new chapter on Reader Tales ... Children’s Books in Review. 

I read a lot of children’s books, thanks to having four kids and thanks to just loving kid’s books.  

Especially middle grade novels.

Over the years, I have come to notice that kid’s books have a vibrancy that adult books often miss.

Kids, especially those of today's generation, need colour and action and speed to capture (not to mention keep) their attention. And if they're going to read a book, well, it better have what they're looking for.

Otherwise, they will quickly move onto something else. 

Adult books, on the other hand, don't often include some of these enticing details. After all, most adult readers can find the story behind the words. They don't need printed detail, they can fill it in on their own. Further, adults know that just beyond the first boring chapter a really great story could emerge, and they are willing to stick around to find out.

Adult readers are way more forgiving than kids.

I realize, of course, everything I've said are generalizations of grand proportions.

My words have not been completely fair or true.

Many, many adult books have captured and kept my attention over the years. There are amazing books that give glorious detail and fast-paced drama. They draw the reader in from the first.

However, because kids want and need more excitement, that's what good kid's books have. Excitement.


Detail. Dialogue. Tension. 

Colour. Action. Speed.

Kids don’t tolerate even one boring chapter, let alone two or three.

That’s why I love reading kid’s books.

That’s why I love writing kid's books.