Basho and the River Stones

Written by Tim J Myers · Illustrated by Oki Han

A poet loses cherries to a cunning fox's trickery. Can wisdom outshine greed?

4.5/7 Bookroo expert·4.1/5 Goodreads · 124 ratings

32 pages· 1,304 words· Est. 11 min read-aloud· 750L

$16.95Save 7%

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Bookroo's summary

In the serene woods of ancient Japan, the poet Basho shares cherries with local foxes. But when a sly fox uses magic to trick him out of his bounty, Basho finds solace in the beauty of river stones, crafting a haiku more precious than gold. As the fox returns to revel in his deceit, he faces an unexpected lesson in true value. Will the fox's greed lead to redemption, or will Basho's wisdom prevail? Discover the enchanting tale of poetry, magic, and the quest for what truly matters.

From the publisher

The great poet Basho lives in the woods and shares the cherries from his cherry tree with the local foxes. But one tricky fox becomes greedy––He uses his magic to turn three river stones into gold coins, and then tricks Basho into giving up all of the cherries. When the fox returns to gloat over his victory, he discovers that Basho is content. Wiser than the fox, Basho knows that a poem inspired by the beauty of the river stones is more valuable than gold. Oki S. Han’s watercolors evoke ancient Japan in this sequel to the New York Times bestseller Basho and the Fox.

At a glance

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 32
Words: 1,304
Reading age: 4–10
Audience: Picture
Lexile: 750L

Themes & topics

Books about foxes Books about magic Books about Japan Books about history Books about family

What readers & critics say

Reviews

4.5

out of 7

4.5

“This story has great illustrations and is one you and your child will love to learn from, as it's message is full of wisdom about the value things have. I especially love the poetry in the story.”

B is for Bookworm

Trusted reviewer

The author