Mieko and the Fith Treasure

Monday 18^th, December, 2017


“Mieko and the fifth treasure” Eleanor Coerr
Penguin Books, 2003. Pages: 115

Hello my readers! I am back with a thrilling book I just loved. I found it very interesting so as to learn about historical events through the eyes of a child.

First encounter               

When I found this book what struck me most was the title. What might the fifth treasure be? Apart from that, I realized that Mieko is a girl, so I started to wonder what kind of thoughts crossed her mind after a huge catastrophe.

Plot

This gripping, involving and thought-provoking little novel tells the story of Mieko a Japanese girl injured by the atomic bombing of Nagasaki who is struggling to heal herself, both physically and emotionally. Calligraphy was what she liked to do more than anything else in the world. Nevertheless her hand was badly injured in the bombing and Mieko was sent to stay with her grandparents in the country to recover. There she felt frustrated that she was not able to paint word-pictures like she used to. Besides she was taunted by some cruel classmates. In time the encouragement of her elders and especially of her new friend Yoshi, helped draw Mieko out of her pain and isolation and she began to paint again recovering the fifth treasure.

What is the fifth treasure?

The Japanese calligrapher's four treasures are brush, paper, inkstick, and inkstone. The fifth is the beauty of heart informing the brushstrokes and bringing word-pictures to life.

My mind

This heart-warming story of friendship, creative confidence and growth made me feel through the Japanese culture that harbouring anger is not productive, but learning to accept changes could help to heal emotional wounds.