The Blossom and the Firefly
  • Published: 2 July 2021
  • ISBN: 9781524737924
  • Imprint: Penguin Books US
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 336
  • RRP: $19.99

The Blossom and the Firefly

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From the award-winning author of Flygirl comes this powerful WWII romance between two Japanese teens caught in the cogs of an unwinnable war, perfect for fans of Salt to the Sea, Lovely War, and Code Name Verity. Now in paperback!

From the award-winning author of Flygirl comes this powerful WWII romance between two Japanese teens caught in the cogs of an unwinnable war, perfect for fans of Salt to the Sea, Lovely War, and Code Name Verity. Now in paperback!

Japan 1945. Taro is a talented violinist and a kamikaze pilot in the days before his first and only mission. He believes he is ready to die for his country . . . until he meets Hana. Hana hasn't been the same since the day she was buried alive in a collapsed trench during a bomb raid. She wonders if it would have been better to have died that day . . . until she meets Taro. A song will bring them together. The war will tear them apart. Is it possible to live an entire lifetime in eight short days?

Sherri L. Smith has been called "an author with astonishing range" and "a stellar storyteller" by E. Lockhart, the New York Times-bestselling author of We Were Liars, and "a truly talented writer" by Jacqueline Woodson, the National Book Award-winning author of Brown Girl Dreaming. Here, with achingly beautiful prose, Smith weaves a tale of love in the face of death, of hope in the face of tragedy, set against a backdrop of the waning days of the Pacific War.
  • Published: 2 July 2021
  • ISBN: 9781524737924
  • Imprint: Penguin Books US
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 336
  • RRP: $19.99
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Praise for The Blossom and the Firefly

A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year

"Delicate and incandescent by turns, this jewel of a tale of war and love is breathtakingly courageous." --Elizabeth Wein, bestselling author of Code Name Verity

"Exquisite . . . Shines with compassion and empathy." --Laura Ruby, Printz Award winner and National Book Award finalist for Bone Gap

"Beautiful, poignant, and heartrending . . . A gentle love story and a horrific warning for the ages." --Matt Killeen, author of Orphan Monster Spy

"A sensitive and lyrical tale, full of redemption, sacrifice, and hope . . . A stirring, sparkling gem of a novel." --Stacey Lee, award-winning author of Outrun the Moon

"Absolutely stunning. Many a tear will be shed over these pages." --Kip Wilson, author of White Rose

* "Impeccably researched . . . fast-paced and compelling." --School Library Journal, starred review

* "Through meticulous research, Smith immerses her readers in a war narrative not often told to American readers, as well as a conflict-filled love story." --The Horn Book, starred review

"The kind of high-stakes love story that will leave readers stressed and sighing in equal measure." --Booklist