The Crane Girl

by Curtis Manley (Author) Lin Wang (Illustrator)

The Crane Girl
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

A boy helps an injured crane, that then returns in human form to weave silk and save the boy and his father from poverty. Adapted from Japanese folktales and told in alternating prose and haiku.

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. But 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.

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$19.95

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Kirkus

Starred Review
More from this team would be a welcome addition to folk-tale collections.

None

Accomplished watercolors contain historical details of Japan.

School Library Journal

Gr 2-4—Snatches of haiku add depth to this story based on traditional Japanese folktales. One evening, Yasuhiro hears a noise: "from the darkness/an animal's sudden cry—/its fear and mine." He follows the sound to a crane caught in a trap and releases it. The grateful crane reappears the next evening in human form. Yasuhiro's father allows Hiroko to stay with them, but insists that she earn her place through hard work. Hiroko offers to weave cloth on the loom of Yasuhiro's late mother but only after father and son promise they won't open the door or look at her while she weaves. She produces a bolt of cloth—"white silk/speckled with black—/tracks of winter birds"—which is sold for a high price at market. Yasuhiro's father is delighted at first but grows greedy. His demands eventually reveal the secret behind Hiroko's weaving, and she flees and returns to her original form. The love that has developed between Yasuhiro and Hiroko enables Yasuhiro to become a crane as well: "matching/her wingbeats—/my heart soars." The story ends with a pair of nesting cranes. An author's note explains that reciprocity, known as on in Japanese, is at the heart of many traditional tales, along with respect for the natural world. The author's note also discusses the forms of haiku and facts about the red-crowned crane. Exquisite watercolor illustrations accompany the text. Somber landscapes depicting a harsh wintry land contrast with Hiroko's scarlet kimono. VERDICT This well-crafted tale offers students an introduction to traditional Japanese culture and folklore and should be a welcome addition in public and school libraries.—Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Curtis Manley
Curtis Manley's previous picture books include The Rescuer of Tiny Creatures, Just Right: Searching for the Goldilocks Planet, Shawn Loves Sharks, and The Crane Girl. His work has received a number of awards, among them a Nautilus Book Award, an SCBWI Golden Kite Honor, and a Science Communication Award from the American Institute of Physics. Curtis lives near Seattle with his wife, daughter, and cat.

Jennifer K. Mann is a prolific author and illustrator of books for children. Her book The Camping Trip received four starred reviews and was named an ALSC Notable Book, a Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year, and an SCBWI Golden Kite Award finalist, among many other honors; she is also the illustrator of Alison James's Maple and Rosemary. She resides on the Puget Sound's Bainbridge Island with her husband, two children, six chickens, a cat and a dog.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781885008572
Lexile Measure
750
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Shen's Books
Publication date
March 01, 2017
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039220 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Values & Virtues
JUV012020 - Juvenile Fiction | Fairy Tales & Folklore | Country & Ethnic - General
Library of Congress categories
Folklore
Japan
Japanese crane
Cranes
Anne Izard Storytellers' Choice Award
Freeman Book Award
New York Public Library Best Book of the Year
Evanston Public Library Best Book of the Year
Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature Best Book of the Year

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