Shin's Tricycle

Shin's Tricycle, written by Tatsuharu Kodama and illustrated by Noriyuki Ando, is a true story about a Japanese family caught in the nightmare of the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. In the story Shin wants nothing more than a tricycle, a real rarity, considering all of the metal was being put towards the war efforts. When Shin does get his tricycle, the atomic bombs that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki were soon dropped over Shin's family, killing Shin and his best friend, Kimi. This is a story about a father's heartbreak, and is yet another tribute to the innocent people whom war kills, despite their lack of involvement. What is really hard about this book, is when the parents' decided to move the bodies to a proper burial ground, uncovering the Shin's prized tricycle. War books are very hard for adults to read and discuss with children, but it's an important part of understanding the part of humanity that suffers when humans fight at this large scale. It's part of their growth into knowledgeable and thoughtful citizens who can think about and consider the consequences.