1000 PAPER CRANES
Friday 18th March 2011
My book Cherry Crush is about a girl who is half-Japanese, and a Japanese theme runs all through the story. For me, as for all who love Japan and its culture, the recent earthquake, tsunami and threatened nuclear disaster has been shocking and scary.
I wanted to do something to help, and found myself thinking of the story of the 1000 Paper Cranes. In Japanese legend, anyone who makes 1000 paper cranes is granted a wish. In 1955, a Japanese girl, Sadako Sasaki, became ill with radiation sickness after the atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Sadako planned to make 1000 paper cranes, but she had folded only 644 cranes when she died aged just 12. Her friends made the remaining paper cranes and buried them with her… one of the saddest yet most beautiful stories of friendship ever. In Japan, the paper crane is a powerful symbol of peace and hope.
What better way to send your support, good wishes and prayers to Japan? Find yourself a square of paper, click the link and make your own paper crane for Japan – then send in your pics through any of the website links. Tell your friends, family and teachers and spread the word. Together, we can make 1000 cranes… and show Japan that we care.
If you’re able to raise money for those made homeless by the disaster, you can donate to the Red Cross.
Look out for more ideas of how you can help on the Secret Page and in the April online newsletter… with comps to reward all your hard work. If you haven’t signed up for the free online newsletter, you can do it here – you’ll find a clue for the password to the Secret Page in the newsletter, too.
Get folding… and send your thoughts and prayers to Japan.
xxx
Hey cathy I LOV your cherry Crush book I have it right here sorry got to go bye
I feel so sorry for the people of Japan, our school fundraised some money for them by coming in, in our pyjamas- it was really funny! I love Cherry Chrush, I can’t wait for the next one! A series is a brilliant idea!
hi Cathy I really feel sorry for Japan so I love u starting book you are my role model and I hope everybody helps Japan thank you with love Amina g2g
i feel soooo sorry for them we have just learnt about it and written newspapre artcles about this!!!!!!
good luck everyone
mia xxxxxxxxx
i will do some maybe about 50!!!
Wow! Cathy, I live japan. I am gonna try and make 100, if not 1000 cranes.
Hey Cathy!
Our school has done an amazing cake sale for Japan we have rased £998! including the bootsale we had today. Wish i could help the poor cizens of the country but what can i do? i am just a kid! maybe you could write a book about a japan distaser related type… i could help i’ve sort of started! love hannahx
Hey Cathy!
I live in Canada so sometimes it’s hard for me to get a hold of all your great books! But once when me and my family was on vacation in New Zealand I went into this little book store to find something to read on the flight back home when I stumbled across a bright covered book called Ginger Snaps, written AND SIGNED by some author I’d never heard of, little did I know that that book would change my life, Ginger Snaps in some weird way gave me the confidence to express myself and be true to who I truly was. Not letting the “Shannon’s” of the world push me around. Of coarse I don’t yet have a saxophone playing boyfriend or a cool quirky name with hair to go with it, but I do have new great supportive friends and the courage to know what I truly want and seek it, something I never would have been able to do with out you. I continue to idolize you as a role model and a writer. In fact at my school (I’m in student council.) We are actually attempting to make 1000 paper cranes. In two primary colours, red and white when were done we’ll attach them to some bristol board in the shape of the Japanese flag which we will send to a school in Japan. Our student body can “sponsor” a crane for one dollar and include a wish our message concerning the relief of the devastating earthquake/tsunami/nuclear explosion inside the crane. All the money will go straight through the red cross to where Japan needs it. People are saying that this earthquake is ten times worse than hurricane Katrina, and people there are still trying to put there lives back together after five years!!!!! Please keep inspiring girls everywhere to be themselves and make a difference.
S’cool To Dream (that’ what you wrote in my autographed copy of “Ginger Snaps.”
Bridget
Hi cathy,
About 2 years ago, I saw a play of the story, 1000 Paper Cranes. I love this story and I think it would be absolutly FANTASTIC if you used the idea in a New Book!
Love to you always, Bonnie!
It is so devestating that this happened. Sadly, there is no way to prevent natural disasters. I wish this didn’t happen. Donate to the Red Cross or ho;d bake sales or garage sales. Do everything you can to help these people. Thanks you Cathy for listening to my comment!:))))
xoxo Lizzie!:)))
Hi Cathy,
I saw a play about this a few years ago and I thought it was FANTASTIC! I think it’s an Awesome idea if you used this in a new book!
Love to you always, Bonnie! 🙂