Shinji Mikamo, a teenager, is on the roof of his house, working with his father, when there is a blinding flash. When he regains consciousness, he is severely injured, burned all over his body, and buried in the rubble of a building. Somehow, his father manages to pull him out, and together they begin to search for help. They were – it turned out – only 1,200 metres away (¾ mile) from the centre of the explosion.

The Hiroshima Boy tells the story of Shinji and his father’s journey through Hiroshima as they come face-to-face with the utter destruction of the city, and meet strangers and friends who are enduring unimaginable agony. Running from an enormous fire engulfing their neighbourhood, they reach the bank of the Kyobashi River. But the water provides little comfort, and the scenes they find there are devastating. For the next four days, they roam, searching for food, water, and refuge in excruciating pain…

Told simply and powerfully, The Hiroshima Boy is an extraordinary first-person account of survival, suffering, courage, and hope.