The Last Cherry Blossom

Gr 7 Up—Offering a glimpse at World War II Japan, this work shows a side of the war not often seen. The story follows Yuriko, a young girl whose world has been turned upside down by the changing culture in Japan. She faces challenges that will be familiar to many middle school students—homework and a new stepmother—as well as some that will be unfamiliar: bombing drills at school and cultural edicts from the government. Yuriko's characterization and reactions to the events feel uneven at times. She seems to take bombings and huge cultural shifts in stride but then is thrown off-balance by her aunt's mean attitude. Her often catty observations about others will be off-putting to more sensitive readers. This historical fiction tale mentions specific events from World War II that some teens may be unaware of. This offers insight into an untold perspective but also may be confusing, since the events are mentioned in passing and without much context.