Rosemary Wells

When Yoko was very small, she and her Grandmother, Obaasan, fed the cranes in the pond at the end of the garden. When Yoko moves to California, she remembers her Grandmother and Grandfather in Japan. Every week letters go back and forth. She thinks of their garden and their cranes. And when Grandmother's birthday comes, Yoko sends the most wonderful gift of all. Rosemary Wells celebrates the love between grandchildren and gradparents in this sequel to best-selling Yoko.

Yoko's Paper Cranes

Sarah Sammis

Yoko's Paper Cranes is the third from the Yoko and Her Friends series I've read to my children. It's my favorite so far.

Yoko's Paper Cranes is about Yoko's grandparents who still live in Japan. The book shows how her grandmother taught Yoko to make origami cranes. When she has moved to California she makes a bunch of the cranes as a gift for her grandmother.

The illustrations match the theme of the book. They appear to be collages made of origami paper. Rosemary Wells includes a note of thanks to the people who helped with the Japanese paper craft part of the book. People familiar with Japanese art history will note a few recreated pieces but done to fit the style and plot of the book.

Finally, the book teaches readers how to fold the origami crane. The instructions are illustrated around the edges of the pages.

Yoko's Paper Cranes

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