A Thousand Paper Birds

'A masterful exploration of love, loss and the healing power of the natural world. Heartbreaking and uplifting in equal measure' Observer LONGLISTED FOR THE AUTHORS' CLUB BEST FIRST NOVEL AWARD 2018 Jonah roams Kew Gardens trying to reassemble the shattered pieces of his life after the death of his wife, Audrey. Weathering the seasons and learning to love again, he meets Chloe, an enigmatic origami artist who is hesitant to let down her own walls. In the gardens he also meets ten-year-old Milly, and Harry, a gardener, both of whom have secrets of their own to keep – and mysteries to solve.

A haunting memoir by Leonard Bird, a Marine who was exposed to high doses of radiation during the 1950's atmospheric detonations of nuclear weapons in the Nevada desert. He shares his journey to the International Park for World Peace in Hiroshima where he seeks to make peace with his past and with a future shadowed by nuclear proliferation.

“An extraordinary book, one no reader will fail to find compelling and unforgettable.” —Booklist, starred review The star of her school’s running team, Sadako is lively and athletic…until the dizzy spells start. Then she must face the hardest race of her life—the race against time. Based on a true story, Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes celebrates the courage that makes one young woman a heroine in Japan. "[The] story speaks directly to young readers of the tragedy of Sadako's death and, in its simplicity, makes a universal statement for 'peace in the world.” —The Horn Book "The story is told tenderly but with neither a morbid nor a sentimental tone: it is direct and touching." —BCCB

**Independent Publisher Book Award (IPPY) Winner** **Middle School Book of the Year-- Northern Lights Book Awards** **Skipping Stones Honor Award Winner** For the first time, middle readers can learn the complete story of the courageous girl whose life, which ended through the effects of war, inspired a worldwide call for peace. In this book, author Sue DiCicco and Sadako's older brother Masahiro tell her complete story in English for the first time--how Sadako's courage throughout her illness inspired family and friends, and how she became a symbol of all people, especially children, who suffer from the impact of war. Her life and her death carry a message: we must have a wholehearted desire for peace and be willing to work together to achieve it. Sadako Sasaki was two years old when the atomic bomb was dropped on her city of Hiroshima at the end of World War II. Ten years later, just as life was starting to feel almost normal again, this athletic and enthusiastic girl was fighting a war of a different kind. One of many children affected by the bomb, she had contracted leukemia. Patient and determined, Sadako set herself the task of folding 1000 paper cranes in the hope that her wish to be made well again would be granted. Illustrations and personal family photos give a glimpse into Sadako's life and the horrors of war. Proceeds from this book are shared equally between The Sadako Legacy NPO and The Peace Crane Project.

Ten Thousand Birds provides a thoroughly engaging and authoritative history of modern ornithology, tracing how the study of birds has been shaped by a succession of visionary and often-controversial personalities, and by the unique social and scientific contexts in which these extraordinary individuals worked. This beautifully illustrated book opens in the middle of the nineteenth century when ornithology was a museum-based discipline focused almost exclusively on the anatomy, taxonomy, and classification of dead birds. It describes how in the early 1900s pioneering individuals such as Erwin Stresemann, Ernst Mayr, and Julian Huxley recognized the importance of studying live birds in the field, and how this shift thrust ornithology into the mainstream of the biological sciences. The book tells the stories of eccentrics like Colonel Richard Meinertzhagen, a pathological liar who stole specimens from museums and quite likely murdered his wife, and describes the breathtaking insights and discoveries of ambitious and influential figures such as David Lack, Niko Tinbergen, Robert MacArthur, and others who through their studies of birds transformed entire fields of biology. Ten Thousand Birds brings this history vividly to life through the work and achievements of those who advanced the field. Drawing on a wealth of archival material and in-depth interviews, this fascinating book reveals how research on birds has contributed more to our understanding of animal biology than the study of just about any other group of organisms.

Fold your way to happiness through the inspiring philosophy of Senbazuru—the tradition of folding one thousand paper cranes—with a leading voice in the global mindfulness movement as your guide. In Japan, the paper crane is a symbol of peace, hope, and healing. It is considered the "bird of happiness," a mystical and majestic creature that according to myth can live for a thousand years. Tradition has it that if a person were to fold one thousand paper cranes in a single year, they would be gifted one special wish that would grant long life, healing from illness or injury, and eternal happiness. The tradition of folding one thousand paper cranes is called Senbazuru ("sen" meaning "one thousand" and "orizuru" meaning "paper crane"). In this book, renowned yoga and meditation teacher Michael James Wong brings Senbazuru to life as an inspiring philosophy that encourages slowing down and taking many small steps on our own personal path. This is a book of small steps and gentle wisdoms to heal your soul and help you find your own path to happiness. FOR READERS OF: Ikigai and Dot Journaling, and fans of mindful craft like coloring books and puzzles. ORIGAMI IS THE NEW MINDFUL CRAFT: Fans of coloring books and puzzles will flock to this trend for its ease, versatility, and affordability. FOR FANS OF JAPANESE CULTURE: This will appeal to readers of books like Ikigai and A Little Book of Japanese Contentments. EXPERT AUTHOR: Wong is the founder of Just Breathe, an organization focused on bringing mindfulness into the real world. He hosts events; speaks regularly in the UK, Australia, and California; and partners with brands like Rituals and international festivals like Wanderlust. He has nearly 40,000 followers on Instagram, and his work has been featured in The Telegraph, BBC Radio, Mind Body Green, Women's Health, Men's Health, Yahoo! News, Well + Good, and more. CHARITY PROJECT: Through Michael's charity partnership, Cranes of Hope, his corporate sponsors will donate £1 to a COVID relief fund for everyone who makes and sends in a paper crane. The cranes are going to be built into an amazing installation in St. Paul's Cathedral in London, where an event will be held to mourn those lost to COVID and bring hope for the future. Details on U.S. events to come. A PRACTICE OF PATIENCE FOR HEALING AND WELLNESS: As we've had to take a step back from socializing and cancel plans during the pandemic, we have all been reminded of what it means to really slow down. The origami practice is not, like most things today, a work of self-gratification but rather a work of patience and discovery. Wong's origami technique forces readers to breathe deeply and slow down, soothing the mind and soul. Perfect for: enthusiasts of mindfulness, wellness, yoga, origami; coloring book / puzzle aficionados; parents Digital audio edition introduction read by the author.

Birds Without Wings traces the fortunes of one small community in southwest Turkey (Anatolia) in the early part of the last century—a quirky community in which Christian and Muslim lives and traditions have co-existed peacefully over the centuries and where friendship, even love, has transcended religious differences. But with the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire and the onset of the Great War, the sweep of history has a cataclysmic effect on this peaceful place: The great love of Philothei, a Christian girl of legendary beauty, and Ibrahim, a Muslim shepherd who courts her from near infancy, culminates in tragedy and madness; Two inseparable childhood friends who grow up playing in the hills above the town suddenly find themselves on opposite sides of the bloody struggle; and Rustem Bey, a wealthy landlord, who has an enchanting mistress who is not what she seems. Far away from these small lives, a man of destiny who will come to be known as Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is emerging to create a country from the ruins of an empire. Victory at Gallipoli fails to save the Ottomans from ultimate defeat and, as a new conflict arises, Muslims and Christians struggle to survive, let alone understand, their part in the great tragedy that will reshape the whole region forever.