A poor Japanese woman maneuvers events to change the lazy habits of her son.
Primary (ages 6-9)
Material appropriate for primary age groups
Magic Spring
Once upon a time, in a small village in Korea, there lived a childless old couple. They worked hard and lived good, simple lives, wanting only a baby to love and care for. But their rich, greedy neighbor sneered at their patched-up clothes. And when he saw the old man chopping wood he’d taunt him: “Ha! Old Man, where is your son to help you?”
Then one day, a mysterious bluebird leads the old man to a magic spring that makes him young again. But that’s only half the magic, as the miraculous power of the spring brings justice to the greedy neighbor, and a child for the couple from the least likely place of all.
A Tale of Two Tengu: A Japanese Folktale
Two Japanese goblins with long, lovely noses decide to prove once and for all whose proboscis is the most beautiful.
The Master Swordsman and the Magic Doorway: Two Legends from Ancient China
In two original stories set in ancient China, Little Chiu masters the sword and Mu Chi escapes death through his marvelous painting.
The Moles and the Mireuk: A Korean Folktale
A mole goes to the sky, sun, clouds, and wind in search of the most powerful husband for his daughter, only to find him among his own kind.
Anno’s Hat Tricks
Three children, Tom, Hannah, and Shadowchild, who represents the reader, are made to guess, using the concept of binary logic, the color of the hats on their heads.
The Pet Dragon: A Story about Adventure, Friendship, and Chinese Characters
When Lin’s beloved pet dragon disappears, she searches for him far and wide until a witch helps her to reach the dragon’s new home. This book introduces a different Chinese character on each step of Lin’s adventure.
The Rabbit’s Judgment
Tricked into freeing a hungry tiger from a trap, a man refuses to let the tiger eat him until they get another opinion on the situation from a disinterested party.
Kogi’s Mysterious Journey
Kogi paints the shore of Lake Biwa, but is unable to capture the vigor and beauty that inspire him. One day, Kogi wades into the water to release a fish, and unable to resist follows in its wake, eventually becoming a fish himself, and learning what it is
The Fox
A red fox travels alone through the seasons of the year, wondering at life’s simple pleasures.