There was a story that Mama read to Jiro: Once, in old Japan, a young woodcutter lived
alone in a little cottage. One winter day he
found a crane struggling in a snare and set it
free. When Jiro looks out the window into Mr. Ozu's
garden, he sees a crane and remembers
that story.

Much like the crane, the legend comes to
life--and, suddenly, Jiro finds himself in a
world woven between dream and reality.
Which is which? Allen Say creates a tale about many things
at once: the power of story, the allure of
the imagined, and the gossamer line between
truth and fantasy. For who among us hasn't
imagined ourselves in our own favorite
fairy tale?