In a story of warmth and surprise, Allen Say explores the origins of artistic inspiration. Elegant illustrations portray the journey of a child who discovers that creativity ultimately comes from within.

As a young Japanese boy recovers from a bad chill, his mother busily folds origami paper into delicate silver cranes in preparation for the boy's very first Christmas. Full color.

Lazy Taro gets his comeuppance.

The Kamishibai man used to ride his bicycle into town where he would tell stories to the children and sell them candy, but gradually, fewer and fewer children came running at the sound of his clappers. They were all watching their new televisions instead. Finally, only one boy remained, and he had no money for candy. Years later, the Kamishibai man and his wife made another batch of candy, and he pedaled into town to tell one more story--his own. When he comes out of the reverie of his memories, he looks around to see he is surrounded by familiar faces--the children he used to entertain have returned, all grown up and more eager than ever to listen to his delightful tales.
Using two very different yet remarkable styles of art, Allen Say tells a tale within a tale, transporting readers seamlessly to the Japan of his memories.

Caldecott Medalist Allen Say's tale of a young boy who saves a baby bird from the local bullies is filled with compassion and empathy. Based on a true story and gorgeously illustrated, this story from an iconic picture book creator is not to be missed. A young boy sees a baby bird quivering in the hands of a neighborhood bully. Suddenly, he wants the orphan sparrow more than anything. He trades all his treasures for the bird and calls it Kozo, Little Boy. But how will he keep Kozo alive? In this painted album of memory, eight-year-old Allen Say talks about the best friend he made in his childhood.

When he was a young man, Allen Say's grandfather left his home in Japan to explore the world. He began his journey by crossing the Pacific Ocean on a steamship, then wandered the deserts, farmlands, and cities of North America. Allen Say lovingly tells the story of his own family's cross-cultural history in elegant watercolour paintings that earned him a Caldecott Medal in 1993. This twentieth-anniversary gift edition of the modern classic features downloadable audio and a new introduction by Allen Say.

An American sailor courts a young Japanese woman and each tries, in secret, to learn the other's way of eating.

At home in San Francisco, May speaks Japanese and the family eats rice and miso soup and drinks green tea. When she visits her friends' homes, she eats fried chicken and spaghetti. May plans someday to go to college and live in an apartment of her own. But when her family moves back to Japan, she soon feels lost and homesick for America. In Japan everyone calls her by her Japanese name, Masako. She has to wear kimonos and sit on the floor. Poor May is sure that she will never feel at home in this country. Eventually May is expected to marry and a matchmaker is hired. Outraged at the thought, May sets out to find her own way in the big city of Osaka. Allen Say has created a moving tribute to his parents and their path to discovering where home really is.