While gathering firewood, Yasuhiro comes upon an injured crane hidden in the snow. He rescues and comforts the bird, then watches it flies away.
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 popular Japanese folktales — an inspirational story of friendship and the power of kindness to transform lives.
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.
Lin Wang
has loved to draw and paint since she was very young. She studied art in China and later received an MFA in Illustration from Savannah College of Art and Design. Wang has illustrated several books for children, and her books are often praised for their enchanting illustrations. Wang lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and their children.
Winner of the 2017 Freeman Award from the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia
A New York Public Library Top Ten Children's Book for 2017
Updates Available: Updates Available: Update available for Picture Gallery Module