The Blossom and the Firefly

Gr 6 Up–In 1940s Japan, Hana and the other girls in her group care for young soldiers before they join the war. The daily work is repetitive and numbing, a match to Hana’s feelings after she survives being buried alive during an air attack. She feels like a ghost, until she meets a soldier named Taro. He longs to make his mother, father, and country proud by becoming a kamikaze pilot. However, Taro cannot leave his musical past behind and brings his violin to the military base. One day his playing brings him and Hana together. Can he and Hana enjoy his last few days together? Impeccably researched, Smith’s detailed writing evokes traditional Eastern folklore—much like the Japanese stories she weaves through the novel. Readers will find themselves growing attached to the characters and their developing affection, but the author does not shy away from realistic depiction of a war-torn country. Smith includes a glossary and selected bibliography. Beyond the sense of looming death, there is passion and hope that drives readers further into the story. The ending feels inevitable, like the last notes of a perfect melody.