Tree of Cranes

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Say, Allen. 1991. Tree of Cranes. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 039552024X.

PLOT SUMMARY

Tree of Cranes is the story of a young Japanese boy who is celebrating his first Christmas.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The protagonist of this story is a young Japanese boy.  Although Say does not identify his age, the boy is “not yet old enough to wear long pants” (p. 4).  The story begins with the young boy catching a cold from playing near the pond, even those his mother had warned him not to play there.  The boy returns home, and his mother acts strangely for the rest of the day.  He is confused about her behavior and she finally admits the reason—she has been preparing for Christmas.  Even though the mother is Japanese, she was born and raised in California.  In Tree of Cranes, she introduces the American custom of Christmas to her young son.

The beauty of this story is in the fusion of the two cultures.  Instead of decorating the Christmas trees with traditional American’s decorations, the mother uses paper cranes and candles.

Say’s illustrations are beautiful and culturally accurate.  The mother and boy wear traditional clothing in the pictures, but the father is wearing a Western suit and tie.  Skin coloring and hair texture are accurate and respectful of the culture.  The colors of the watercolor illustrations are vibrant.

In addition to the cultural markers in the illustrations, Say identifies typical food (rice gruel, sour plum, and yellow radishes).

Overall, this book would be a wonderful introduction to the holiday celebrations in other cultures.  This story is unique as it presents Christmas from an outsider’s perspective. Tree of Cranes would be a wonderful addition to any collection.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Booklist: “Infused with gentle nostalgia, the quiet, graciously told picture book is a perfect blend of text and art.”

Publisher’s Weekly: “Heedless of Mama's warnings, a Japanese boy cannot resist playing at an ice-cold pond ``filled with carp of bright colors.'' When he comes home, he is immediately treated for a cold, with a hot bath and rice gruel. His mother's attitude chills him more than the weather, though; he cannot understand why she seems to be ignoring him. Hearing a noise in the garden, the boy spies Mama digging up the pine tree that was planted when he was born. She brings it inside and decorates it with paper cranes and candles. It is a Christmas tree, the first for the boy, and the first in many years for his mother, who tells her son she comes from ``a warm place called Ca-li-for-ni-a.'' The story is a poignant one, illuminated with finely drawn illustrations reflecting the serenity of a Japanese home and the quiet love between mother and son. Say (The Bicycle Man, El Chino), who came to this country from Japan when he was a teenager, again exhibits a laudable sensitivity to Eastern and Western cultures--and to both the differences and the similarities between them.”

CONNECTIONS

The following books by Allen Say offer similar themes and illustrations:

Allen Say. Grandfather’s Journey. ISBN 0395570352

Allen Say. Bicycle Man. ISBN 0812474279