In this magical retelling of a Japanese folktale, a mysterious girl weaves silk to help repay the kindness of a boy and his father until the father’s greed finally exposes her secret.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. 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.
Curtis Manley liked stories with cats when he was young, but never tried to teach his cat Inky to read. When his daughter came along years later, she also liked stories with cats–and stories with mice! Curtis grew up in Pennsylvania but now lives near Seattle, Washington, with his wife, daughter, and just one cat. The Summer Nick Taught His Cats to Read is his first picture book. Visit him at CurtisManley.com.
Nothing yet! Let Curtis Manley know that you want to hear from them about their book.
Are you the author or illustrator? Claim your book.