Falling Stars

A middle grade novel of historical fiction explores a true story of the only WWII casualties in the continental U.S.

Nellie and Tamiko live on opposite sides of the world, on opposite sides of World War II. In rural Oregon, Nellie passes the time laying under the stars, wishing for her Pa to come back home, and for Joey, her next door neighbor to talk to her like they used to before his brother was killed in the war. In southern Japan, Tamiko passes the time writing in her diary, hoping one day she can work in the theater making costumes, and praying her brother Kyo will make it back home from fighting. Thousands of miles apart, the two girls share the same wish, for the war to be over. When the Japanese military recruits young girls for a secret project, Nellie and Tamiko's lives become even more directly linked.

Tamiko and her classmates are tasked with making paper balloons. The work is arduous and relentless, and no one has told the girls how the balloons will help the military, but Tamiko believes she is doing her part to help Japan win and end the war once and for all. Nellie tries to do her part by rationing and working in salvage drives--though times are lean, and she worries for her father, the war feels worlds away. Until a paper balloon makes its way to her hometown.

Based on Japan's Project Fu-Go during the last stretch of WWII, Falling Stars uses the alternating perspectives of Nellie and Tamiko to depict the back and forth tragedies of two countries at war. Although worlds apart, both girls understand that in a time of uncertainty and fear, blind hate for the "enemy" leaves a heavier heart and more debris. Falling Stars weaves real history with unforgettable characters who must deal with war and hatred right alongside friendship, first love, and family.

Shirley Reva Vernick's interviews and feature articles have appeared in Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, Ladies' Home Journal, national newspapers, and the publications of Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and Boston University. She also runs a popular storytelling website, storybee.org, which is used in schools, libraries, hospitals, and homes all over the world. Shirley graduated from Cornell University, majoring in Economics and Nutrition, and is an alumna of the Radcliffe Writing Seminars. Her previous works include The Blood Lie, Remember Dippy, and The Black Butterfly. She's won the Simon Wiesenthal Once Upon a World Children's Book Award, the Skipping Stone Honor, Langum Prize for American Historical Fiction, Director's Mention, the Sydney Taylor Book Award Silver Medal, and was listed as an ALA 2012 Best Fiction for Young Adults. She lives in Amherst, Massachusetts.