Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes is a children’s novel by Eleanor Coerr, published in 1977. It tells the story of Sadako Sasaki, a young girl from Hiroshima who was exposed to radiation from the atomic bombing in 1945. At age 12, Sadako was diagnosed with leukemia, a result of the bomb, and was given a year to live. Her friend encouraged her to fold 1,000 origami cranes, believing it would grant a wish. Sadako folded 644 before she passed away on October 25, 1955.
Though the book suggests she didn’t complete the 1,000 cranes, her family, including her brother Masahiro, states she folded about 1,400. After her death, Sadako’s classmates raised funds to build a memorial to her and other children affected by the bomb.
