Stone, Tanya Lee. Peace is a Chain Reaction: How World War II Japanese Balloon Bombs Brought People of Two Nations Together. Candlewick, 09/2022. 165pp. Non-Fiction. GRADES 5 – 10. OUTSTANDING. Trade $24.99. 978-0-7636-7686-5.
With a riveting text and many b&w photos and diagrams, Stone tells an unknown story from World War II. She begins by describing the incarceration of Japanese Americans on the West Coast in camps, then goes into the balloon bomb from Japan that went off in Bly, Oregon, killing five children and their pastor’s wife. The final segment describes how adults who had been teens in Japan and helped build the bombs, and those who were youth in the internment camps, came together for a restorative reconciliation and commitment to peace. As there are many quotations from the participants, this is a great example of a primary source. A main focus is Yuzuru Takeshita, who was a teen in the camps and helped with the reconciliation as an adult, giving a young person’s point of view of the injustices that took place. Engaging text and book design combine to make an excellent resource on one aspect of the war. Back matter includes extensive source notes, bibliography, and an index. This book has California-specific content.
Penny Peck—San Jose State University iSchool