Stupid war, wise book

My book Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: A Japanese Pilot's World War II Story is the true story of Nobuo Fujita, a Japanese pilot who became the first foreign power to bomb the U.S. mainland during a war. (Next month marks the 80th anniversary of this unprecedented event.)

After the war, he regretted his actions and returned to America to apologize. "What a stupid war we made," he said.

I just discovered a review of the book in Friends Journal (published by the Quakers) that ends on a line that not only humbles but also chills: "What a wise book it has made."

"So beautifully recalled" - "San Francisco Chronicle" on "Thirty Minutes Over Oregon"

Datebook

2/19/19

"So beautifully recalled"

"Thirty Minutes Over Oregon" on Nerdy Book Club list of best nonfiction picture books of 2018

Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: A Japanese Pilot's World War II Story is one of the 18 titles elected to the Nerdy Book Club's list of the best nonfiction picture books of 2018. 

Congrats to the other 17! 

Thank you all!

"Thirty Minutes Over Oregon" on Fuse #8 list of favorite nonfiction picture books of 2018

"One of the most interesting titles of the year … 
beautifully illustrated, and beautifully told"

Congrats to the other kidlit creators who made any of these 31 lists! 

Thank you, Betsy!

"Thirty Minutes Over Oregon" on list of Top 20 Books of 2018

And not just any list…the list jointly compiled/posted by Mr. Schu (John Schumacher, the Ambassador of School Libraries for Scholastic) and Travis Jonker of School Library Journal's 100 Scope Notes.

  

(John called it a story "everyone should know." Travis also included it on his list of 10 books he did not review but loves. Note how a third influencer, Betsy Bird, kindly echoed that thought.)

With both lists, I'm humbled and honored to be among such talent. Congrats to all whose work is being recognized.

The journey to get Thirty Minutes Over Oregon published did not come close to the stakes of the journey of the star of the book, World War II pilot Nobuo Fujita…but it does make me especially thrilled that it happened. Because it almost didn't, a lot.

This book was rejected almost 50 times over seven years.

Double whammy from the Book Mommy

The Book Mommy reviewed my two latest books within a week of each other. I learned of this via her two kind tweets:

Fairy Spell: "My fav telling of the Cottingley Fairies hoax (or was it?) to date. Astounding & marvelous, a story where the kids hold all the cards."

Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: "Absolutely fascinating, largely unknown WW2 story, which showcases the very best of humanity. A must for 7-10."

Excerpts from the reviews themselves:

Fairy Spell: 

"My eight year old, having mostly outgrown her belief in, if not her affection for, fairies, hung on every word. She has since re-read it on her own and even asked that I purchase a copy for her classroom. It's a book which tests your belief in magic on nearly every page. … what really went on down at the beck is both astounding and marvelous: astounding because the girls exhibited cleverness well beyond their years, and marvelous because they kept it a secret for so long. (Talk about empowering the child!)"

Thirty Minutes Over Oregon:

"Showcases the very best of our two countries. Indeed, it showcases the very best of humanity. I can scarcely read these pages without tearing up. … I can't help but hope that books like Thirty Minutes Over Oregon might help our children's generation think about what can be gained from letting our heart, not our politics, fly the plane."

"Engrossing and unexpectedly touching" – "Wall Street Journal" on "Thirty Minutes Over Oregon"

11/8/18

"Engrossing and unexpectedly touching … lovely story of reconciliation"

"Moving...thought-provoking" – "New York Times Book Review" on "Thirty Minutes Over Oregon"

It is Veterans Day, and this year I'm thinking in particular of a vet I never met but have grown most fond of. His name was Nobuo Fujita, and he never fought for America.

Not during a war, anyway.

His uplifting journey is the subject of my latest book, Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: A Japanese Pilot's World War II Story. And that book is featured in today's New York Times Book Review. I've been in the Times before, but this is the first time the paper of record has reviewed one of my books. Thank you to the Times, and thank you to vets everywhere.

11/11/18

"Sometimes the most inconsequential episodes in larger stories can turn out to be the most moving, and so it is with Thirty Minutes Over Oregon … a thought-provoking meditation on the power of forgiveness"

"Unfolds with a storyteller's flair" – "Horn Book" on "Thirty Minutes Over Oregon"

November/December 2018 

(written by Roger Sutton)

"Nobleman knows just the right tone to strike with this story, and he unfolds its events with a storyteller's flair. … There are several lessons here, organically made, and kids who come for the wartime action will be pulled along to the book's ultimately pacific message"

"Moving" – "Booklist" on "Thirty Minutes Over Oregon"

10/1/18

"Clearly written...moving... This quiet story is less about war than the toll it takes on those who fight, the possibility of reconciliation, and the value of understanding other cultures. A war story with a heartening conclusion"

"An important and breathtaking book"

"An important and breathtaking book"
—Colby Sharp book talk video (also on his "Awesome 2018 Books" list)

Thank you again, Colby!

"Thirty Minutes Over Oregon" on Alternative Anticipated Children's Books of Fall 2018 List

This blog could have its own section/label called "Thank you Betsy Bird," this post being the latest entry.

Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: A Japanese Pilot's World War II Story (out 10/9/18) has made her Alternative Anticipated Children's Books of Fall 2018 List (and even if it hadn't, I heartily applaud Betsy's reason for making such a list).

Betsy: "Such a cool story and practically no one knows about it! ... It's this remarkable story about forgiving yourself, forgiving others, and reaching a hand out to someone you're supposed to think of as an enemy. We sort of need this book right now."

So, as spoiled in the first line above, thank you, Betsy Bird.

"Powerful and poignant…a must-read" – "Kirkus" on "Thirty Minutes Over Oregon"

8/1/18

"Powerful and poignant. … Iwai illustrates the moving moments and events with grace and humanity. The story captures a side of World War II readers may not have seen before. A must-read story."

"Fuels suspense…unforgettable" - "Booklist" on "Fairy Spell"

4/1/18

"A seamless blend of both frolics and facts fuels suspense ... part accidental trickster tale, part unforgettable fairy tale, all true, this will have kids reaching for cameras of their own in no time"

"Crisp...engaging...fascinating" - "Horn Book" on "Fairy Spell"

March/April 2018

"With a crisp and engaging style, Nobleman relates this fascinating story, providing ample context for readers by presenting information about the attitudes and conditions of early-twentieth-century England. Young readers are bound to be intrigued"

"A rich overview...strong nonfiction" - "School Library Journal" on "Fairy Spell"

February 2018

"Nobleman's text is a rich overview of this bizarre historical controversy; he deftly navigates topics like childhood in the early 20th century, the media and the influence of celebrity culture, and the history of photography, without ever weighing down the central narrative. Wheeler's illustrations are colorful and evocative… a strong nonfiction choice"

"Will leave children guessing until the end" - "Publishers Weekly" on "Fairy Spell"

1/29/18

"An inviting layout combines Wheeler's delicately styled ink-and-watercolor illustrations with archival images of the girls' photographs ... This recounting of a fanciful, enchanting fraud will leave younger children guessing until the end, and many more readers will embrace the suspension of disbelief"

"Engaging...respectful...fascinating" - "Kirkus" on "Fairy Spell"

2/1/18

"Nobleman introduces readers to this remarkable story in a compact, engaging narrative that's respectful to its young audience. ... delicate, detailed illustrations ... A fascinating introduction to one of the greatest hoaxes of all time, deftly pitched to elementary-age children."

"Lively, big-hearted" – my alma mater on "Brave Like My Brother"

Winter 2016/2017

"No weak links here" - "Chicago Tribune" on "The Chupacabra Ate the Candelabra"

Review of The Chupacabra Ate the Candelabra from the Chicago Tribune (3/7/17):

• "fresh, funny and genuinely suspenseful, thanks in part to a winning text by Nobleman"
• "the visual storytelling is impressive"
• "both the text and the illustrations can stand by themselves, and they complement each other beautifully"
• "no weak links here"

Thank you, Nara Schoenberg!