The Crane Girl

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.

Author: Curtis Manley
Publisher: Shen's Books
Published: 03/01/2017
Pages: 40
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.90lbs
Size: 8.60h x 10.20w x 0.60d
ISBN: 9781885008572
Audience: Ages 4-8

Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 02/01/2017 pg. 147
School Library Journal 05/01/2017
Hornbook Guide to Children 01/01/2018 - Recommended, Satisfactory

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 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.