The Paper Crane

A man owned a restaurant on a busy road, and business was good until a new highway was built close by. Because travelers no longer stopped at the restaurant, the man became poor. One day a stranger with a gentle manner came into the restaurant. He did not have money to pay for his meal. Instead, he folded a napkin into the shape of a crane. "You have only to clap your hands," he said, "and this bird will come to life and dance for you." The stranger's gift was worth more than the cost of his meal, and it brought great happiness to the restaurant owner. Can you guess why?

The Paper Crane is Molly Bang's adaptation of an ancient Japanese folktale. The detailed three-dimensional illustrations are photographs of her paper cutouts. They are a wonderful accompaniment to the story.

A Pair of Red Clogs

Mako, a little Japanese girl, is delighted with her new clogs. They are red lacquered and shine beautifully. When Mako walks and runs, her clogs sing: KORO KORO, KARA KARA. Mako chose these when her mother took her shopping. They are her school shoes.

But one day as Mako is playing the weather-telling game with her friends, one of her shiny new clogs cracks. No longer do her clogs sing when she walks. Mako is sad. So sad that she devises a plan that in the end just makes her sadder.

When Mako grows up and buys a pair of red clogs for her granddaughter, she remembers her own red clogs, and the important lesson she learned from them.

A Pair of Red Clogs by Masako Matsuno, illustrated by Kazue Mizumura, is a book that links well to Lunar New Year themes and Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month in May. The lesson learned by a little Japanese girl is one that children of all cultures will understand.