Summary: This is a story set in nothern Japan about a beautiful young girl named Tatsuko. She was the most beautiful girl in the land, but she did not know it. One day she was helping the family work, and she saw her reflection in the water. She realized that she was very beautiful and became very depressed. She knew that her outside beauty would fade, so she tried very hard to keep her beauty. One day someone told her of a small spring that she could drink of, and she would never grow old. After drinking from the spring, she turned into a dragon.

Personal Reaction: This was a cool story. It taught me about the different tales of Japanese literature and the different views that they have.

Classroom Extension Ideas:
A. This book can be read to teach students about Japanese tales. Since it has a moral, the teacher could explain to the student how every individual is beautiful, and real beauty is on the inside.

B. This story can also be read to better understand the Japanese culture. After reading this story, the teacher could show a video showing the different clothes, customs, and celebrations of Japanese culture. ( )

This collection of Japanese folktales is taken from the author's own childhood. They are stories that were told to her by her parents when she was younger. There isn't much to the pictures, so they make great read alouds.

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