The Wise Old Woman by Yoshiko Uchida

The Wise Old Woman Reviews

• 
  RKanimalkingdom

  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??)
  
• 
  Prabhat sharma

  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.
• 
  Kimi Loughlin

  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.
• 
  Just a Girl Fighting Censorship

  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.
• 
  Sarah Estrada

  Good book it’s okay not gonna remember it though.
• 
  Estelle Zenith

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

  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
• 
  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
• 
  Jet Dargantes

  asdasdsadadassads
• 
  Claire

  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.
• 
  Kaley Best

  how do u read this!!!