This gorgeously illustrated book was so heavy, but such an important book. Dealing with the bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, it was beautiful as well as heavy on my heart.

I'll admit, I don't enjoy reading books about war; they are heartbreaking, they don't offer hope, they're sad and depressing. They can be very important, however, and as much as humans might want to protect their children from the horrors of war, it is important that we teach children about it, so they can be horrified by it too. This book offers an account based on the true story of Sachiko Yasui, who survived the bombing of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, when she was 6 years old. Her youngest brother was killed immediately, and the rest of her family fell ill from radiation related sicknesses and died one by one over the years. The only thing in their home that survived the blast was a precious family heirloom, her grandmother's bowl, which the family used during their meals. Later in her life, Sachiko began speaking to groups of children, to tell her story and impress upon them the need for peace. This story is told so well by Stelson, in a straightforward, age appropriate way that manages to express some hope for the future, and Kusaka's soft illustrations go well with the story, offering quiet emotion. The author's and illustrator's notes at the end have additional information about Sachiko, including family pictures, and give personal experiences that add depth to the text. This is a powerful and moving book, and I recommend it highly.

#ABowlFullofPeace #NetGalley

This is a pretty good book which isn't big in length and can be read to restore yourself while travelling. Based on a real story, it was intriguing to read about the bowl that was something unusual and mysterious in a way and had its presence in a family at a time when Japan had to see the worse in the world. Reading the story of the bowl was something new. Had the book told more about the bowl, it would have been more admiring. Can give this short book a read when you want to go over a tiny story.

This is a beautiful way of telling a difficult but important story - the impact of war on daily life. As well as impacts of the nuclear bombing of Nagasaki.

Wow..... It's really hard to know what to say about this book. The illustrations are phenomenal with enough detail to show the scene but the background gives impressions more than details; with this story, impressions are enough. Sachiko's story of being a child in Nagasaki during World War II starts off as a sweet and innocent tale of family life and Grandmother's bowl, but then....
Sachiko's resilience to survive even as so many around her are killed outright or die over years from the radiation sickness is a testament to the human spirit. Her commitment to tell her story is brave.
This book is a sobering, but child-accessible look at the horrors of nuclear war.

Grandmother’s bowl is precious for their family. Sachiko and family live in Nagasaki. At dinner, grandmother’s bowl is brought out and filled with food, Everyone bows their heads, pressing their hands together and says “itadakimasu.” Soon war comes to Nagasaki with its noises and the lack of food and other supplies. As the war continues and intensifies, the food in grandmother’s bowl changes too, becoming less and less. The family survives air raids, until one gets through. One of Sachiko’s siblings is killed in the blast. Her family leaves Nagasaki on foot, until they reach a hospital. Her brothers are very ill and both die from radiation from the bomb, other members of her family die too. Ice chips are all that help the survivors quench the burning. Two years later, Sachiko and her family return to Nagasaki and in the rubble of their home find grandmother’s bowl, unbroken and not even chipped. Going forward, ice chips are placed in the bowl on the anniversary of the bombing, watched as they melt away.

This picture book version of the award-winning book for older children, Sachiko: A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor’s Journey, allows the story of Sachiko to be shared with elementary-aged children. Stelson manages to pare the story down, writing in poetic lines that capture the horror of war and atomic bombing as well as the wonder of finding anything still intact afterwards. The symbolic nature of the bowl and the ice chips is incredibly moving and repeats in the book so that readers deeply understand the loss and work that must be done.

Kusaka’s illustrations are beautifully spare. She has created touching moments that show the family around their table with the bowl at the center. When the bomb hits, the pages turn from a red burst to blackness. It’s a powerful use of image without words.

A book about war with a strong focus on peace. Appropriate for ages 5-8.

A heavy but powerful picture book. An inspiring story of taking loss and moving forward not despite but because of it. Definitely for older children, but a great way to tell them about the atrocities of war.

Powerful Anti-War, Anti-Nuclear Message

I love it when children's fiction is based on a true story, and this one is. It tells the story of a little girl who grew up in Nagasaki, Japan, in the 1940s. You probably already know the way this will go. Before the bombing, we see a little of the little girl and her family's life, including how the family gathers around their grandmother's bowl each night as they have dinner. When the war starts, we see the way the family eats changes over time, as they do not have access to their normal foods. The book shows several pages of the devastation that happened in Nagasaki after the bomb was dropped, but we learn that the family continues to suffer for years after the horrific incident as members continue to die because of illness caused by the bomb. The one bright light happens when the family returns to Nagasaki after some time; they find the grandmother's bowl in the rubble of their old house, and it has not then cracked or even chipped. At the end of the book, the author shares the true story of the young girl and even shares a picture of the actual bowl. The illustrations in this are well done and certainly evocative of Japanese culture. If you need to explain what happened in Japan at the end of World War II to a young child, this book could help. If you want to express your frustration with or objection to war or nuclear power, this book could certainly give weight to your points. But be warned that there is, of course, a lot of loss shown in this book, including the death of parents and siblings, which could be traumatic for a child.

This book tells a powerful story with gentleness. I appreciated the focus on the bowl as it talks about the war in the background and how it impacted the character's life. It tells the story of the bombing in a matter of fact way without being too weighty for the children who will be reading/hearing the story.

I received an electronic ARC from Lerner Publishing Group through NetGalley.
Stelson tells the story of Sachiko Yasui, a six year old who survived the Nagasaki bombing in World War II. Told from a third-person point of view but readers see it through Sachiko's eyes. The focal point for much of the story - before and after the bombing - is the beautiful bowl her grandmother passed to their family. It had been in their family for generations. Miraculously, when they returned to the site of their home, years after the bombs fell, it was still there and intact. Sachiko lost most of her family to radiation poisoning right away and through the years as well as her baby brother who died in the bombing.
Told with a sensitive touch and also shares the reality of what happened to this family.
The author's information at the end provides more detail about Sachiko and what happened in Nagasaki.

The emotions on this story is really heavy written with a tone of a child. Hachiko's story made me cry. Maybe I'm too weak when it comes to the stories about war. I like how it was narrated. It was as if looking through the eyes of a child. I like it. A must read.

I received this ebook in exchange for an honest and fair review. What a lovely book. What an important book! Me. Stelson spent a lot of time with the little girl, now grown, before she wrote this book. The illustrations were gorgeous and so meaningful. This book will be in my classroom so my students can understand the dangers of nuclear weapons and the reason we should never use them again. The book was written in a gentle but poignant way.

This picture book tells the story of living through World War II in Japan, including the atomic bomb and its fallout, through the lens of a grandmother's bowl. By framing this historical event around an everyday, timeless occurrence (a family meal), the story and the history become more accessible to youths because they have a familiar experience to help contextualize it. With that said, I do think this book would benefit from reading with an adult on hand to help add in more background. I'd have a hard time encouraging a kid to read this independently, but I think this book would be a great addition to guided book clubs or a classroom setting.

Often, when a story of the atomic bombs dropped on Japan are the subject of a story, it's Hiroshima that gets the most attention. This book is about a person who survived the bombing of Nagasaki and it is every bit as heart-wrenching as it has to be when discussing such a horrific event. It covers the before and after of the event, the tragic consequences, and the girl's eventual role as an activist against the proliferation of nuclear weapons. The notes include more information, places to learn more, and even other recommended texts on the subject. There are no downsides or shortcomings in this text. It is a must buy for any library when it is released. Beautiful.

This was a moving and touching story about a family bowl and it's history within the family during the Bombing of Pearl Harbor. The artwork is beautiful and the story is absolutely moving. This is a book that I would recommend for all readers.

A Bowl Full of Peace by Caren Stelson details the events of August 9, 1945 in Nagasaki Japan. Sachiko, a young child at the time, finds her life forever altered when the atomic bomb is dropped less than a mile from her family's home. While Sachiko survives the horrific event, along with her parents, several of her siblings are not so fortunate. The devastating effects of the bombing will be far-reaching, and the family will bear the scars for years to come. Miraculously, a leaf shaped bowl that has been passed on through the generations survives the blast fully intact, and is all that remains of Sachiko's family home.

This is a beautifully told story, based on true events, that is rendered with great sensitivity. While indeed heartbreaking, it is a stirring reminder of the brutality of war, and also a plea for peace to the next generation.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lerner Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this ARC.

#ABowlFullofPeace given to me by #NetGalley is a touching story about a little girl who survived a nuclear bombing. We go through how it affects her family and how she grows. Her grandmother's bowl is the constant in her life. This is a heartbreaking story, but well worth the read.

So sad and beautiful, this picture book tells a true story relating not just to the actual day of the bombing of Nagasaki but the resulting injury and radiation illnesses that resulted in more deaths.

While it’s tenderly approached and rendered and has a message of peace, l still find it hard to imagine that this book and its topic is appropriate for the audience age range I saw it recommended for: 6-11. I think it’s too heavy for the lower end of that age range. Maybe 10 and up would be more fitting?

This is an excellent resource for young readers, especially if they are studying World War II. While the topic is difficult, it is important to address, and this book handles it well for the audience.
I love that the actual pictures are included at the end of the book, it brings home the truth of the story.

An absolutely heartbreaking, breathtaking book. I was moved to tears. The story is incredibly strong on its own, but the stunning illustrations complement it perfectly. An essential purchase.