Crane Wife by Odds Bodkin (2002)

I needed more Asian fairy tales, so was happy to find one of my favorite illustrators, Gennady Spirin, had worked on this one.

Sailmaker Osamu takes care of an injured crane bird one night. Weeks later, a mysterious woman shows up on his doorstep. Osamu marries Yukiko, then discovers she can make magic sails. His greed for gold risks his happiness.

There's definitely a moral to this story.

The Japanese-influenced illustrations are lovely, in muted gold, brown and beige tones.

I think it's not quite colorful enough or a gripping story enough to hold a small child's attention. Maybe if you have a thoughtful eight or nine year old, especially one interested in Japanese culture, they might enjoy this tale.