Freeman Book Award for East and Southeast Asian Children's Literature, National Consortium for Teaching About Asia
In this magical retelling of a Japanese folktale, a mysterious girl weaves silk to help repay the kindness of a boy and his father until the father's greed finally exposes her secret.
While gathering firewood, Yasuhiro comes upon an injured crane hidden in the snow. He rescues and comforts the bird, then watches as it flies away over the wintry hills.
The next night, a mysterious young girl arrives at Yasuhiro's home seeking shelter from the cold. The boy and his father welcome the girl, named Hiroko, to stay with them. When Hiroko notices that Yasuhiro's father is struggling to earn money, she offers to weave silk for him to sell. After the fabric fetches a good price, the boy's father becomes impatient for more silk, and his greed has a life-changing effect on them all.
Lyrical storytelling deftly interwoven with original haiku create a magical adaptation of a popular Japanese folktale--an inspirational story of friendship and the power of kindness to transform lives.
About the Author: Curtis Manley is a full-time writer and a member of the Haiku Society of America. He enjoys watching the behaviors of birds and other animals--whether in his backyard or in the forests, deserts, and canyons of the western United States. In his travels, he always hopes to see a sandhill crane. Manley grew up in western Pennsylvania but now lives in the Seattle area with his wife and daughter. Visit him online at curtismanley.com.
Lin Wang has illustrated several books for children, including Shining Star: The Anna May Wong Story and The Crane Girl for Lee & Low Books. She is a classically trained portrait painter with an MFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design, and her work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators Original Art Show. Wang lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and their children.
