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Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: A Japanese Pilot's World War II Story

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Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: A Japanese Pilot's World War II Story

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Hardcover
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Overview

An Orbis Pictus Honor Book for Outstanding Nonfiction 2019

In this important and moving true story of reconciliation after war, beautifully illustrated in watercolor, a Japanese pilot bombs the continental U.S. during WWII—the only enemy ever to do so—and comes back 20 years later to apologize.

The devastating attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, drew the United States into World War II in 1941. But few are aware that several months later, the Japanese pilot Nobuo Fujita dropped bombs in the woods outside a small town in coastal Oregon. This is the story of those bombings, and what came after, when Fujita returned to Oregon twenty years later, this time to apologize.
This remarkable true story, beautifully illustrated in watercolor, is an important and moving account of reconciliation after war.

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About the Author

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780544430761
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	10/09/2018
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	444,680
Product dimensions:	11.10(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Marc Tyler Nobleman writes books for all ages. His titles include Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: A Japanese Pilot's World War II Story, Fairy Spell: How Two Girls Convinced the World That Fairies Are Real, Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman, and Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman, which inspired both the Hulu feature documentary Batman & Bill and a TED Talk. Follow him on Twitter @MarcTNobleman and on Instagram @MarcTNobleman.

Melissa Iwai has illustrated many books for young children as well as the nonfiction picture book Thirty Minutes Over Oregon. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her family. Visit her online at melissaiwai.com, on Twitter @meliwai, and on Instagram @melissaiwai1.

From the B&N Reads Blog

Page 1 of

Editorial Reviews

Sometimes the most inconsequential episodes in larger stories can turn out to be the most moving, and so it is with Thirty Minutes Over Oregon…Iwai's fine renderings of the unsuspecting townspeople of Brookings, Ore., are matched by her depictions of the bomber…The story becomes a thought-provoking meditation on the power of forgiveness, of others and oneself.

The New York Times Book Review - Julie Just

09/03/2018
Nobleman (Fairy Spell) tells the little-known story of the only airplane bombing of the U.S. mainland during WWII—from a plane launched from a submarine via catapult. The book focuses on Nobuo Fujita, the Japanese pilot who flew the missions. Initial pages detail the September 1942 bombings of Oregon timberland, one early in the morning and one at night, in hopes of igniting a forest fire. The second half of the book describes later reconciliation visits between the pilot and residents of the tiny coastal town of Brookings: “Nobuo donated thousands of dollars to the town, specifically so that the library could buy children’s books that celebrate other cultures.” He also hosted high school students from Brookings, planted a tree at the bomb site, and, after he died, even had some of his ashes spread there: “A flutist played a solo combining the national anthems of Japan and America.” Pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations by Iwai (So Small! Yosemite) deftly convey the story’s many emotions. Full-color spreads and vignettes match a clear narrative that pays tribute to a change of heart and the importance of cultural understanding. Ages 6–9. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"A thought-provoking meditation on the power of forgiveness." — New York Times Book Review
"Nobuo's story of reconciliation, not only for him, but for Japan and the U.S., is powerful and poignant....The story captures a side of World War II readers may not have seen before. A must-read story of a lesser-known World War II event and its aftermath." — Kirkus Reviews
"Full-color spreads and vignettes match a clear narrative that pays tribute to a change of heart and the importance of cultural understanding." — Publishers Weekly
"This quiet story is less about war than the toll it takes on those who fight, the possibility of reconciliation, and the value of understanding other cultures. The fluid, emotionally resonant ink-and-watercolor illustrations create period scenes effectively while capturing the tone of the text. A war story with a heartening conclusion." — Booklist
"Nobleman knows just the right tone to strike with this story, and he unfolds its events with a storyteller’s flair." — Horn Book Magazine

From the Publisher

11/01/2018
Gr 2–5—In this moving tale of war and reconciliation Nobleman relates the experiences of Japanese pilot Nobuo Fujita, who flew two bombing missions over Brookings, OR, in 1942 (causing little damage and no loss of life) and returned to the scene 20 years later at the town's invitation to deliver a formal apology. What began as a then-controversial stunt intended to promote local tourism turned into something more profound—a warm lifelong relationship, with exchanges of visits and gifts until his death in 1997. Iwai matches the account's measured, matter-of-fact language with quiet watercolor scenes of a distant plane and a subdued explosion, of the dignified Fujita and his postwar family (who knew nothing of his missions until the invitation arrived), and of townsfolk welcoming him with a parade and ceremonies. Rather than adding a typical (and tedious) recap at the end, the author closes with a note on what drew him to this episode and an appreciation of the spirit shown on both sides, but particularly Fujita's: "He went from fighting to uniting. Which took more courage?" VERDICT A worthy addition for younger middle graders.—John Peters, Children's Literature Consultant, NY

School Library Journal

2018-07-16
The true story of the Japanese pilot who bombed the continental United States during World War II.In 1941, the United States was drawn into World War II after the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor. The U.S. retaliated with a bombing raid on Tokyo. Wanting to prove that the continental U.S. could be bombed, Japan sent Nobuo Fujita in a small plane to bomb the woods of Oregon and start a raging fire. Flying over the small town of Brookings, Oregon, Nobuo dropped the bombs into the forest, but the bombs did not create the devastation and panic that Japan had hoped for. After Japan surrendered to the U.S. and its allies, Nobuo resumed civilian life with his family but lived with guilt and shame over his wartime actions. Years later the town of Brookings invited the Japanese bomber to their Memorial Day festival. Readers can follow his emotional journey toward forgiveness and peace. Nobuo's story of reconciliation, not only for him, but for Japan and the U.S., is powerful and poignant. Using watercolors and finely inked lines, Iwai illustrates the moving moments and events in Nobuo's life with grace and humanity. The story captures a side of World War II readers may not have seen before.A must-read story of a lesser-known World War II event and its aftermath. (Informational picture book. 6-9)

Kirkus Reviews

Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: A Japanese Pilot's World War II Story

Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: A Japanese Pilot's World War II Story

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