Returning the Sword
How a Japanese Sword of War Became a Symbol of Friendship and Peace
In 1945, just after the end of World War II, Captain Orval Amdahl brought home a Japanese sword as a souvenir of war. Sixty-eight years later, he gave it back.
Orval Amdahl grew up in rural Minnesota and enlisted in the Marines during World War II. In August 1945, the United States dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ending the war. Soon after, Orval’s division was sent to keep the peace in Nagasaki, and the devastation he witnessed there haunted him. When he returned home, he tried to move on, but he couldn’t forget the war—or the sword. And many years later, at the age of ninety-three, he got a chance to do something incredible. He met with the family of the soldier who had owned the sword and returned it to them.
A powerful story of war, peace, and reconciliation from author Caren Stelson and illustrator Amanda Yoshida.
| Format | Your Price | Add |
|---|---|---|
|
979-8-7656-1153-1
On pre-order until 10/07/2025
|
$18.99 | |
|
979-8-7656-7329-4
On pre-order until 10/07/2025
|
$23.99 |
| Interest Level | Grade 2 - Grade 5 |
|---|---|
| Reading Level | Grade 4 |
| Genre | Picture Books, Social Studies |
| Category | 5 Kinds of Nonfiction, 5KN: Narrative Nonfiction, Diverse Books: Race & Ethnicity, Diverse Books: Social Justice, Diversity, SEL: B Self-Management, SEL: C Social Awareness, SEL: E Responsible Decision-Making, Social Emotional Learning |
| Copyright | 2025 |
| Publisher | Lerner Publishing Group |
| Imprint | Carolrhoda Books ® |
| Language | English |
| Number of Pages | 32 |
| Publication Date | 2025-10-07 |
Author: Caren Stelson
Caren Stelson is an award-winning author of nonfiction books that focus on war and peace themes. She believes young readers want to know the truth about their world and how others find resilience and courage in difficult times. Her work includes Ezra Jack Keats Book Award winner A Bowl Full of Peace and Sachiko: A Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivor’s Story, which was longlisted for a National Book Award and received a Sibert Honor Award, the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award, and the Flora Stieglitz Straus Award. Caren and her husband, Kim, live in Minneapolis. www.carenstelson.com
Illustrator: Amanda Yoshida
Amanda Yoshida began drawing at a young age. She attended Gnomon School of Visual Effects in Los Angeles and went on to work for several years as a 3D artist and graphic designer. She began illustrating picture books in 2016 after the birth of her son. When she’s not illustrating or playing with her energetic kiddo, she enjoys connecting with her Asian and Irish heritage through art, storytelling, sushi and the occasional Irish Coffee. Amanda lives in Oregon with her family.