The Boy in the Garden - Allen Say

 

The Boy in the Garden - Allen Say

Bibliography: 

Say, A. (2012). The boy in the garden. Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. 

Plot Summary: 

A reimagining of the Japanese folktale, "The Crane Wife," finds young Jiro remembering a story read to him by his mother when he sees a crane in Mr. Ozu’s garden, an encounter that prompts his surprise journey to a fantasy world.

Critical Analysis:

A beautiful blend of reality and fantasy. The story follows a boy as his word starts to morph with the story his mother told him. Every time I read this book I remember the feeling of getting lost in my favorite stories, as I subsequently get lost in this one. The images are to die for and it is a great read aloud book, the daughters of my cousin love this book. They really enjoy the artwork the most and love to point out all the different parts and little hidden oddities that can be found in the paintings. I personally would like to see it used with a high school classroom for helping teach the stories of other cultures because Allen Say does a good job of showcasing the mother's story within his own.

Review Excerpt: 

The Horn Book (starred review)

A gently unsettling tale of the power of the imagination.

Kirkus Review (starred review)

Say is at the height of his artistic achievement in this tale of a little boy named Jiro and the powerful impact that a story has on him....This is a beautiful, moving, quietly mysterious read, ripe with possibilities for interpretation and contemplation.

Publisher's Weekly (starred review)

Caldecott Medalist Say (Grandfather's Journey), his work always painstaking and poignant, ventures tentatively into the realm of fantasy....Pale colors and expanses of empty space contribute to the feeling of haunted charm. Did Jiro dream? Possibly—or possibly not.

Connections:

Allen Say Profile - Reading Rockets

Japanese Fiction

Fairy Tale / Folk Tale Lessons - Multi Level