When Osamu, a lonely sail maker, nurses an injured crane one blustery night, he never suspects that this simple act of kindness will change his life forever. Weeks later a mysterious woman arrives on his doorstep, seeking shelter from a storm. Osamu again offers his help, and soon the sail maker and the stranger fall in love and marry. But when he learns of his wife’s gift for making magic sails, ambition replaces compassion–and Osamu risks losing the great happiness he has found. With majestic paintings and lyrical prose, this classic Japanese tale speaks to readers of all ages with its timeless lessons on the nature of kindness, love, and betrayal.
Age
Catalog sorted by age group
Fa Mulan: The Story Of A Woman Warrior
A retelling of the original Chinese poem in which a brave young girl masquerades as a boy and fights the Tartars in the Khan’s army.
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes
Hospitalized with the dreaded atom bomb disease, leukemia, a child in Hiroshima races against time to fold one thousand paper cranes to verify the legend that by doing so a sick person will become healthy.
Children Of The Yangtze River
Mei Mei and Chang’s life in their Chinese village takes a drastic turn after Yangtze River begins to rise and sweeps the houses, trees, animals, and people along its path.
The Empty Pot
When Ping admits that he is the only child in China unable to grow a flower from the seeds distributed by the Emperor, he is rewarded for his honesty.
The Greatest Power
Long ago, a Chinese emperor challenges the children of his kingdom to show him the greatest power in the world, and all are surprised at what is discovered.
The Greatest Treasure
In a traditional Chinese tale retold by the creator of One Grain of Rice, a poor farmer receives a treasure of gold and discovers the true value of simple pleasures.
Chinese Cinderella: The True Story Of An Unwanted Daughter
A riveting memoir of a girl’s painful coming-of-age in a wealthy Chinese family during the 1940s. A Chinese proverb says, “Falling leaves return to their roots.” In Chinese Cinderella, Adeline Yen Mah returns to her roots to tell the story of her painful childhood and her ultimate triumph and courage in the face of despair. Adeline’s affluent, powerful family considers her bad luck after her mother dies giving birth to her. Life does not get any easier when her father remarries. She and her siblings are subjected to the disdain of her stepmother, while her stepbrother and stepsister are spoiled. Although Adeline wins prizes at school, they are not enough to compensate for what she really yearns for — the love and understanding of her family. Following the success of the critically acclaimed adult bestseller Falling Leaves, this memoir is a moving telling of the classic Cinderella story, with Adeline Yen Mah providing her own courageous voice.
The Bee And The Dream
Shin buys his friend Tasuke’s dream from him and goes in search of the predicted fortune, only to be disappointed until, upon returning home, he receives a wonderful surprise.
Drums Of Noto Hanto
The people in a small village in ancient Japan manage to drive off the forces of a powerful warlord using only their ingenuity and the many different village drums.