Independent Reading Level: Grades K-2
Awards: 2019 Anne Izard Storytellers' Choice Award and 2017 Freeman Book Award for East and Southeast Asian Children's Literature

A nice update to a story I remember from my childhood, and beautiful illustrations. ( )

In this book, readers will follow Yasuhiro, a boy out gathering firewood for his dad when he notices an injured red-crowned crane and gently rescues it. When a girl, Hiroko shows up the next day looking for shelter, Yasuhiro and his dad welcomes her in. Yasuhiro and his dad are poor and so the girl, Hiroko offers to weave silk to raise money so that they can have enough to eat. When the money is easily earned, Yasuhiro’s dad becomes greedy and demands for more. The girl asks Yasuhiro and his dad to promise not to open the door until she finishes weaving the silk, but the dad grows impatient and opens to discover a surprise. I love that this book introduces friendship, kindness, greed, the obligation to repay, and a little magic.

A boy saves a crane from a trap and later a stranded girl comes to ask if she can stay the house of the boy. The father agrees. They are not rich and the girl offers to weave for the family but makes them promise not to open the door of the room she is in while she is working. The father becomes greedy and demands that she work harder than she is able. He opens the door on her and reveals the crane. She leaves and the boy follows her. He too turns to a crane and they live together peacefully. ( )