Inspired by the true story of a crane that rescued a Chinese village,
and graced with sensitive watercolor illustrations, this lovely book
about respecting nature offers deep emotion and delightful surprises.
A winter illness left Lotus, a little girl, without a voice and without
friends. A hunter's bullet left Feather, a crane, injured and unable to
fly. As Lotus nurses Feather back to health, their bond grows. Soon
Feather is following Lotus everywhere, even to school! The bird dances
to the girl's reed whistle, much to the delight of the other children.
One day, when the village floods, Feather helps raise the alarm as Lotus
and her grandfather urge their neighbors to get to high ground. Feather
is a true friend to Lotus, but the time comes when Lotus must be a true
friend to him -- by encouraging him to migrate with the rest of the
cranes. The next spring, Feather miraculously returns, and that's not
all . . . he has brought new life to the nearby lake.