The Crane Girl
Illustrated by Lin Wang
from the darkness
an animal’s sudden cry—
its fear, and mine
While gathering firewood, Yasuhiro comes upon an injured crane. He rescues and comforts the bird, then watches it fly away. The next night, a 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 interwoven with original haiku create a magical adaptation of popular Japanese folktales — an inspirational story of friendship and the power of kindness to transform lives.
"The Crane Girl" is the winner of the 2017 Freeman Book Award for East and Southeast Asian children's literature as well as was named a New York Public Library Best Book of the Year and an Evanston Public Library Best Book of the Year.
Bio
Curtis Manley enjoys watching the behaviors of birds and other animals, and in his travels in the western United States he always hopes to see a sandhill crane. He received a Master of Science and a doctorate in geology from ASU in 1986 and 1994, respectively. Originally from Pennsylvania, he now lives in the Seattle area with his wife and daughter.
Praise for this book
The polished, full-color illustrations… complement the lyrical text. Interspersed, color-coded haiku reveal the characters’ unspoken thoughts… More from this team would be a welcome addition to folk-tale collections.
Kirkus Reviews
“Snatches of haiku add depth to this story based on traditional Japanese folktales. …Exquisite watercolor illustrations accompany the text. …This well-crafted tale offers [readers] an introduction to traditional Japanese culture and folklore…”
School Library Journal
