Sachiko: A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor's Story

Gr 5–8—Sachiko Yasui was six years old when an atomic bomb was dropped on her hometown of Nagasaki: this is the account of her survival. She experienced the death of family members, homelessness, and ill health, but the unrelenting encouragement of her father gave her the strength and willpower to face the future. He had told her always to listen to her teachers and never be consumed by hate. Yasui also was influenced by her study of Mohandas Gandhi, Helen Keller, and Martin Luther King Jr. By the 50th anniversary of the bombing, Yasui was ready to speak publicly about surviving the blast and how it impacted her life. Her voice was strong and persuasive. Chapters that recount the story of her life alternate with chapters of historical overview and facts. This is one of the many outstanding aspects of this book. In the audio version, these chapters are read by two different narrators, Katherine Fenton and John Chancer. The vocal differences among the characters are compelling, and Fenton does a superb job with the Japanese pronunciation.