Sumirejima (Violet Island)
written by Sukeyuki Imanishi
illustrated by
Yoshirō Matsunaga
Kaisei-sha, 1991, 32 pages
Schoolchildren in this picture book show their affection for pilots who fly over their school by sending them
letters, drawings, and many violet
flowers. Early elementary school students in Japan can learn about kamikaze
attacks from this picture book if a teacher or parent provides some historical
background. Although the book takes place during a time of war and human loss,
the actions of the teacher, children, and pilots exemplify kindness.
Sukeyuki Imanishi wrote numerous children's books, including
several dealing with World War II. He served in the Japanese Navy during the
war, and he went to Hiroshima soon after the dropping of the atomic bomb in
order to aid victims. Although not a
pilot, he served four months at Kagoshima Naval Air Base in southern Kyūshū. He first flew to
Okinawa in 1975, when he saw from the plane many beautiful small islands
between mainland Japan and Okinawa. The story of Sumirejima (Violet
Island) first appeared in 1982 in a magazine of children's literature. Imanishi
received several literary awards during his writing career, and he passed away in 2004.
The story takes place in the spring of 1945 in southern
Kyūshū, where kamikaze pilots from several air bases fly toward Okinawa in
order to crash into American ships. The children at one elementary school on the
coast frequently see planes fly
over their school. They write letters and pick violet flowers to send to pilots
at a nearby air base. The schoolchildren receive a
letter of thanks from one pilot, who writes that he and his friends played sumo wrestling with
the violets during the evening prior to their departure. After the war there
exists one small uninhabited island full of
violet flowers, so perhaps a kamikaze plane carrying flowers from the
children crashed there after developing engine problems on the way to Okinawa.
The author understands the interests and
psychological development of his young readers. The pilots play a game with
"sumō wrestler flowers," which children will have natural curiosity
to understand. The pilots end up tearing off the blossoms, but they really have
fun the night before their sortie. The kamikaze pilot's letter expresses appreciation
for the children's thoughtfulness, but the pilot does not give any details
about his military mission. The book does not provide details
regarding history and geography but instead focuses on portraying positive
human emotions and portraying tangible items such as flowers and planes to
which children can relate. The illustrations show little detail, but one
drawing does show some ships on fire and planes diving toward them to give children
an idea of what happens in a kamikaze attack.
Although the book is based on history, children on the coast
of southern Kyūshū would not have been attending elementary school and playing
outside in the schoolyard during the Battle of Okinawa. American B-29 bombers and other warplanes regularly flew
over this area in the spring of 1945, but this picture book makes no mention of
enemy planes. It is an historical fact that the Navy and Army had several air
bases in southern Kyūshū, and kamikaze planes made sorties one after another for
about three months. Also, many Japanese kamikaze planes did develop engine problems on the way to
Okinawa, so they made forced landings on or near small islands.
Sumirejima (Violet Island) portrays a young,
considerate kamikaze pilot who plays a game from his youth on the final night
of his life. The book also depicts a woman teacher and her students
providing encouragement for pilots at the nearby air base through their letters
and gifts of flowers. Although death and war can be a sensitive subject for
young children, this picture book thoughtfully introduces the topic of kamikaze
attacks.
English translation of Sumirejima (Violet Island)
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