The Crane Girl

Written by Curtis Manley · Illustrated by Lin Wang

A mysterious girl weaves silk to repay kindness, but greed threatens to unravel everything.

4.2/5 Goodreads · 239 ratings

40 pages· 1,276 words· Est. 10 min read-aloud

$19.95Save 5%

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Bookroo's summary

Yasuhiro rescues an injured crane, only for a mysterious girl named Hiroko to appear at his door. Offering to weave silk to help his struggling father, her secret is threatened by the father's growing greed. As the silk brings prosperity, the stakes rise, revealing the true cost of avarice. Will kindness prevail, or will greed destroy the fragile bond they've formed? This enchanting tale, woven with haiku, explores the transformative power of friendship and the dangers of unchecked desire.

From the publisher

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.

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