Abstract

This non-fiction picture book will warm your heart.
It tells the story of an emotional exchange between Andrei, a boy suffering from leukemia due to radioactive contamination in Chernobyl, and Yayoi, a young nurse from Japan, against the backdrop of the beautiful nature of Belarus.
Andrei, whose body has been ravaged by radiation and has little time to live, has one wish in spite of his lack of appetite. "Oh, I wish I could eat pineapple one more time." Yayoi wants to make his wish come true, but it is extremely difficult to get pineapples in Belarus, where supplies are scarce. Nevertheless, Yayoi spreads Andrei's wish to the people around them, and finally, Andrei receives a can of pineapple!
In a world faced with difficult times, this is a must-read that will move many readers to tears.

Author’s Information

Minoru Kamata/ born in 1948, graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University in 1974, became Director of Suwa Central Hospital in 1988, and Director Emeritus of the hospital since 2005. Since 1991, after the Chernobyl nuclear accident, he has dispatched a team of doctors to Belarus to provide medical supplies in the area contaminated by radiation.
Norihisa Toujinbara/25 August 1950 - 6 July 2022 , a Japanese illustrator and art director.　He designed numerous books and posters.