The Wise Old Woman: Level G

by Yoshiko Uchida, Martin Springett (Illustrator)

WISE OLD WOMAN retold by Yoshikko Uchida, illustrated by Martin Springett. 1994 Softcover 8 x 10 inches, 32 pages. A Hampton Brown classroom book

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Folk Tales, School, Family, Short Stories, Geography

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Yoshiko, born on November 24, 1921, was the second daughter of Japanese immigrant parents Takashi and Iku. Her father worked as a businessman for Mitsui and Company in San Francisco, and Iku wrote poetry, passing along her love of literature to her girls. Though the Great Depression raged, the Uchida family enjoyed comforts because of Takashi's well-paying job and their own frugality. Yoshiko loved to write, and her stories played out on pieces of brown wrapping paper. She also kept a journal to record her thoughts and events.

Enveloped in love and tradition at home, Yoshiko weathered the prejudice she sometimes faced. Many white students at University High School in Oakland didn't invite her to their parties and wouldn't socialize with her, deeming her a foreigner. Even while attending the University of California at Berkley, Yoshiko often faced the same dilemma of being ostracized. She found friendships with other Japanese American students and was preparing to graduate when Pearl Harbor was bombed, changing her life.

The United States government rounded up 120,000 people of Japanese descent and put them into camps. The Uchida family first resided in a horse stall at a racetrack in California, surrounded by barbed wire and armed guards. Though difficult to endure, the next move was worse. Almost 8,000 Japanese were sent to a relocation concentration camp called Topaz in the Utah desert. The detainees suffered from violent dust storms, scorpions, snakes, and exceedingly poor living conditions. Yoshiko taught second grade children there until she received a fellowship from Smith College to earn a master's degree in education.

Yoshiko and her sister both left the camp in May of 1943, with their parents gaining release later that year. Teaching for several years in a Quaker school outside of Philadelphia, Yoshiko decided to quit teaching and find work that allowed more time for writing. She moved to New York City and began as a secretary, penning stories in the evenings. Asked to contribute to a book about Japanese folk tales, Yoshiko discovered that though the book didn't come to be, with time she could create a full collection of folk tales. Writing a few pieces for adults, Yoshiko realized she was better suited for children's books.

A Ford Foundation fellowship sent her to Japan to research the culture and their stories. Spending two years, Yoshiko found her time to be healing as she learned about her own ancestry. The pain of the concentration camps lessened, and she began writing about the experiences in fictional books such as Journey to Topaz and Journey Home. Her career as an author soared as people regarded her as a pioneer in Japanese American children's literature. The author of almost forty works, including Japanese folk tales and stories of Japanese American children making their way in the world, Yoshiko traveled extensively, lectured, and wrote. After suffering from a stroke, Yoshiko passed away on June 25, 1992, in Berkeley, California.

Reviews

[RKanimalkingdom · Rating 3 out of 5]

A simple Japanese folktale about how a man defies the law in order to keep his mother alive and how that action repays him back in kind.

It's a very nice book that introduces the reader to:
1. Japanese culture (via illustrations)
2. Respect for elders
3. Doing what your guts/instinct tells you to

The illustrations really brought this story to life. Springett did a wonderful job. There were solid, thick, lack outlines that is a style I really like. I don't know what it's called but I really love that style. (I think it's called thick line style??)

[Jeremias · Rating 1 out of 5]

this is a very very good and funny book

[Tonkjp]

Long ago in a village of Japan it was the decree of the cruel Lord that all villagers at the age of seventy would be sent into the mountains and be left to die. As a young farmer is taking his mother up into the mountains, he cannot l leaving his mother on the mountain. So he decides to hide her in his house. One day a Lord from another village threatens to challenge their village, unless someone in the village can solve three impossible tasks. No one in the village is able to solve the tasks, fear the . The young farmer tells his mother of the situation and recounts the three tasks to her. As she is old and wise she is able to save the village. When the young farmer presents the solutions to the cruel Lord he is asked how he came up with them. He answers that it was his mother who solved the problem. and that he had been hiding her in his home. The cruel Lord instead of punishing the young farmer rewards the wise old woman, and no longer sends the elders of the village away

[Prabhat sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wise Old Woman- A Japanese Folktale- Retold Yoshiko Uchida, Illustrator Martin Springett- Children’s Illustrated Colour Picture Book- The book narrates a Japanese folktale about the importance of elderly people. An old woman resides with her son in a village. The village Overlord issues a decree that all villagers at the age of seventy would be sent into the mountains and be left to die. As a young farmer is taking his mother up into the mountains, he understands that he cannot live without his mother. Initially he takes her up the mountain but later he brings her back, digs a secret room in the house and hides her underground. It happens, that one day a Lord from another village threatens to challenge their village Overlord, unless someone in the village can solve three impossible tasks. The tasks are difficult and advisors are unable to suggest a solution. Lord pastes a notice on the board for all villagers to come and help. Youngman reads the questions to his mother who suggests solutions to the three problems. Both Lords are satisfied with the reply. Now, the lord enquires how the young man arrived at the solution. He answers that it was his mother who solved the problem and that she is alive and has been hiding her in his home. Instead of punishing the young man, the cruel Lord rewards the wise old woman and withdraws his decree that elders will no longer be sent away to die on the mountains. Coloured illustrations help the reader to relate to the narrative. I have read the Hindi language translation of this book.

[sayitwithasmile · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this little tale! The illustrations were so bold and vivid. Uchida retells the fable very well and it has a great moral - trust in your elders. While I do think there are plenty of elders we should not trust as well, I do believe that life experience adds wisdom.

[Bobbyhunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

want to read it

[Just a Girl Fighting Censorship · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ink and airbrush illustrations are bold and give this book a really fresh and original feel. A story about respecting our elders and valuing wisdom.

[Mohammed Almoufti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teach's a great lesson and would recommend reading this with a class.

[Estelle Zenith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note to self: prolly read a shortened version of this.

[Jbondandrews · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely story.

[Boss]

One they in the small village in the western hill of japan the young lord want 71 years old people to die.Next farmer mather turned 71 years old so she need to leave the village to died at the mountain.If the farmer did not take his mother away they both going to die but the farmer hide his mother in the secret room.Then lord Higa want to conquer the village and he tell the only way to protect the village is complete his impossible command but the farmer mother can solve all lord Higa command.The young lord notice the farmer that he could not solve it by him self.So young lord ask farmer about who help him solve the problem then he tell the truth.But the young lord didn't angry at all and he realized how wisdom and knowledge how old people possess from that day the village were no longer abandon their parents in the mountain and lord Higa never come to conquer this village again.

[محمد · Rating 5 out of 5]

حكاية قصيرة من التراث الياباني تظهر المرأة العجوز( ا مرأة حكيمة) على غير عادتها الشريرة التي تظهر في كثير من الحكايا. ومن خلال حكمتها وحلها لثلاث تحديات واجهت القرية وتحدت قدرات ابنها الطيب ، لتنقذ الناس والقرية من جبروت الحاكم المتسلط الذي هدد بتدمير القرية وبعد ذلك وجد الحاكم النبيل أن بقاء كبار السن امر مفيد للناس بعد أن كان قد امر بقتلهم أو ابعادهم ليموتوا في الجبال البعيدة

[Brianna]

that the greedy young king killed everybody above 70 because they are "useless" so the man made a hole 4 his mother she lived in it for 2 years when the lord haga said he was going to congure the little village unless if they did 3 impossible thing the old lady solved them the lord wouldn't take over the little village and the king said he would never kill anybody over the age of 70 again

[Christine Turner]

An old woman demonstrates the value of her age when she solves a warlord's three riddles and saves her village from destruction.

www.hcpl.net

[John Carlo]

no

[Jet Dargantes]

asdasdsadadassads

[Papichurro Maldonado · Rating 5 out of 5]

jhgh

[Angy · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love so much

[Claire Binkley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I approve of how well this story explained filial piety, as the old lady was the only one who had any idea how to perform all of the daunting tasks.

[Kaylan Fox]

I want to read this book

[Yonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It give me the fact I needed they was the best

[Pearson]

it teaches a valuable lesson to all its readers

[Kaley Best]

how do u read this!!!