Ronald Himler – illustratör

Sadako Sasaki växer upp i Hiroshima i Japan. När hon är två år släpps en atombomb över staden. De som inte dör på en gång utsätts under resten av sina liv för den osynliga men dödliga strålningen som bomben för med sig. Sadako blir så småningom en livlig, atletisk flicka och hon är den stora stjärnan i skolans löparteam. Tills yrselanfallen börjar. Sadako har drabbats av atombombssjukan - leukemi.

Enligt en japansk legend kan den som viker tusen tranor av papper få en önskan uppfylld. Tillsammans med sina klasskamrater sätter Sadako igång att vika. Detta blir hennes livs viktigaste lopp ett lopp mot tiden.    

Berättelsen om Sadako är baserad på en verklig händelse. Du kan besöka Barnens Fredsmonument i Fredsparken i Hiroshima. Där, på toppen av ett paradisberg, står en staty av Sadako som med utsträckta händer lyfter en trana mot skyn. Nedanför monumentet kan man läsa:  Detta är vårt rop, detta är vår bön; fred i världen.

This is the wall, my grandfather's wall. On it are the names of those killed in a war, long ago.

"A father and his young son have come to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to find the name of the grandfather the little boy never knew. They share the sadness as well as the pride of having Grandpa's name there. This moving account is beautifully told from a young child's point of view." (The Horn Book, starred review).

"Himler's intense, quiet watercolors capture the dignity of the setting as Bunting's story reaches to the heart of deep emotions. A quiet, respectful exploration." (Booklist)

"Captures the meaning of the memorial to the American people, especially to those who have lost loved ones. A sensitive and moving picture book." (School Library Journal, starred review)

One of this book's many 5-star reviewers commented: "As a teacher, this is the perfect book to read to help kids understand more about Memorial Day."

Another reviewer, a Vietnam veteran, said: "Bought this to give to my great-grandson on Memorial Day. The book gave us an excellent story and illustrations that helped keep his interest and it started a great discussion that has lasted for weeks after the reading."

Marianne, heading west with fourteen other children on an Orphan Train, is sure her mother will show up at one of the stations along the way. When her mother left Marianne at the orphanage, hadn't she promised she'd come for her after making a new life in the West? Stop after stop goes by, and there's no sign of her mother in the crowds that come to look over the children. No one shows any interest in adopting shy, plain Marianne, either. But that's all right: She has to be free for her mother to claim her. Then the train pulls into its final stop, a town called Somewhere . . .