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Chidori: A Story of One Thousand Birds

by Jennifer Maruno and Miki Sato (ill.)

l to r: Jennifer Maruno and Miki Sato

In March 2011, a major earthquake struck off the coast of northeastern Japan resulting in a series of tsunami waves that brought devastation – with more than 18,000 people killed and disappeared – across the country. In Chidori: A Story of One Thousand Birds, Jennifer Maruno brings young readers a story inspired by these tragic events. The picture book follows young schoolgirl, Hana, as she lives through the natural disaster and grapples with the event’s aftermath.

During a classroom lesson, Hana looks out of the window and wishes she had a view of the places where her parents work. When the earthquake strikes, Hana and her classmates evacuate the building, and when the tsunami forms, Hana’s teacher insists they must get to higher ground. After the water recedes, Hana discovers that she has lost both her mother and her home. 

One is immediately captivated by the book’s three-dimensional illustrations. Miki Sato uses collage to give the images on each page a depth that reflects the book’s heavy emotions – particularly moving are the images of the tsunami wave carrying away buildings, cars, and boats from Hana’s hometown.

Illustration: Miki Sato.

Chidori is ultimately a book about a child’s ability to grieve and navigate new beginnings. Hana’s grandmother introduces her to Sumi-e, a traditional style of ink painting, to help Hana cope with losing her mother. Hana begins to paint plovers – seen as a symbol of determination and courage – all the way to the top of the hill, including two plovers she paints on the rock where she used to meet her mother after school.

The story is narrated in the third person, but it might have been more emotionally impactful if written from Hana’s perspective. This would have created greater opportunities for parents and educators to discuss grief and death with young readers. The book, nevertheless, offers a good description of the tsunami’s destruction, which will educate young Canadian readers about the full effect of natural disasters.

 

Reviewer: Angela Wright

Publisher: Pajama Press

DETAILS

Price: $22.95

Page Count: 36 pp

Format: Cloth

ISBN: 978-1-77278-316-2

Released: March

Issue Date: March 2025

Categories: Kids’ Books, Picture Books

Age Range: 5–8