The Paper Crane

The Paper Crane by Molly Bang is story about the good luck a magical crane brings a struggling restaurant. According to the author, it's a retelling of the "Dancing Yellow Crane" fable from China. A struggling restaurant gives a free meal to a weary traveler. To repay them for their generosity, he folds his napkin into a paper crane. Upon leaving, the paper crane comes to life. The heart and soul of the book is the power of thoughtful gifts to enrich life. The illustrations are done in a multimedia, collage that highlights the cut paper crane. The style selected was one of trial and error. Molly Bang describes the many different methods she tried: pencil drawings, Chinese ink drawings, and two different collage styles.