The Wise Old Woman by Yoshiko Uchida & The Bracelet by Yoshiko Uchida

The Wise Old Woman is the tale of a young farmer who is ordered to abandon his seventy year old mother in the mountains and leave her to die. Instead of following this cruel order, however, he hides his mother away and cares for her. A few years later, an invading lord leaves a message that he is going to conquer the land in which the young farmer and his mother reside. The conqueror presents three “impossible” tasks that must be solved in order to spare the land. None of the wise people in the village, however, are able to solve the tasks. As a result, the young farmer presents the tasks to his mother. The wise woman is able to decipher the puzzles and save the village.

This book is an excellent portrayal of the wisdom and knowledge that can be passed from the elderly to the young. The book effectively delivers the message that individuals over a certain age should not be cast aside but should be revered and regarded as wise sources of experience. Societies should honor their elders and heed their words of wisdom.

In addition to The Wise Old Woman, I also read Yoshiko Uchida’s The Bracelet. This story details the experience of a young Japanese-American girl who must move with her family to an internment camp as a result of America’s war with Japan in 1942. The main character, Emi, describes her feelings about having to abandon her home, leave her friends, and move into a horse stable.

Emi frequently conveys her sadness about why she and her family have to move away. She clearly personifies the feelings of disappointment, hurt, fear, and confusion that many Japanese-American families felt during this time period. The reader feels a strong connection with the characters in the book and sympathizes with the plight of these individuals. The story provides a great opportunity for children to view the effects of World War II from the perspective of the Japanese-Americans who lived during the time period.

I really enjoyed reading both of these children’s books. The books provide insight into the history of the Japanese culture and some of the events that have had to be encountered by this race of people. Reading both of these books allows the reader to obtain a better understanding of this culture. The books are wonderful stories that educate while entertaining. As with previous books that I have reviewed, these two tomes are wonderful tales that I highly recommend reading.

Uchida, Y. (1993). The bracelet. New York: Philomel Books.
Uchida, Y. (1994). The wise old woman. New York: Macmillan Publishing.

Additional information about the author and his additional works can be found at http://www.jacketflap.com/persondetail.asp?person=161890