The Paper Crane (Reading Rainbow Book) (Paperback)

~ (Author, Illustrator) "But a new highway was built close by..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Collaborating with her distinguished mother Betsy Bang and working on her own, Molly Bang has received awards including two Caldecott Honors for Ten, Nine, Eight and The Grey Lady and the Strawberry Snatcher. She has another front contender in this amazingly ingenious book. A restaurant owner and his son lose their clientele when a new superhighway bypasses their street. When a poor man comes to them one evening, they gladly serve him a fine meal for pay. Before leaving, he gives his hosts a paper crane which will be a living, dancing bird when they clap their hands. The dancing crane brings crowds to the restaurant and prosperity to the kind owners as well as a joyful surprise to readers at the story's end. In the color pictures, one sees everything in three-dimensions, an artistic effect created by lovely collages and paintings. A sandwich on a plate, roses in a vase, etc., seem real enough to pick up.
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"A delight to the eye and imagination." -- -- The Horn Book(starred review)

"Many of the scenes have great delicacy and are masterfully evocative of mood and place....visually fresh and very effective...." -- -- ALA Booklist(starred review)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Greenwillow Books (July 15, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688073336
• ISBN-13: 978-0688073336
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 8 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #120,682 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The story of a magical gift, November 21, 2001

By	Michael J. Mazza (Pittsburgh, PA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

In "The Paper Crane," author/illustrator Molly Bang tells the story of a restaurant owner whose business suffers when a new highway diverts possible patrons away from his place. But his fortunes change when a mysterious visitor leaves the owner a magical gift.

Bang's illustrations appear to be photographs of multi-media collages, and have a wonderful 3-dimensional quality. There are lots of warm earth tones complemented by flashes of bright color. Here is another interesting (and, in my opinion, admirable) element of this book: the book jacket notes that the story is based on "an ancient Japanese folktale," but Bangs features a multi-ethnic assortment of people in her illustrations. An entertaining, visually rich book.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful illustrations complement timeless text, June 6, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Paper Crane (School & Library Binding)

This book's unique illustrations--three dimensional paper--are very effective as a complement to the traditional Japanese story of a mysterious man who pays for his dinner with a paper crane. This story is an excellent introduction to the Japanese art of origami and the significance of the paper crane in Japanese culture. The pictures are detailed and captivating and the text is engaging.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Lovely, September 21, 2000

By	Jeff Sampson (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Paper Crane (Hardcover)

This was my favorite book to read to my children when they were growing up. It has a serene, Zen-like quality. A timeless tale, this will particularly appeal to families who hold art and music as sacred facets of their lives.