Little Oh

by Laura Krauss Melmed, Jim LaMarche (Illustrator)

Illustrated with exquisite paintings, this original fairy tale about an origami girl who comes to life is a tender and exciting adventure. From her wild river ride aboard a teacup boat to her escape from an angry dog to her flight home on the neck of a crane to her transformation into a real little girl, Little Oh is sure to capture your heart. 2000-2001 Georgia's Picture Storybook Award & Georgia's Children's Book Award Masterlist

Genres: Picture Books, Fantasy, Childrens, Japan, Fiction, Adventure, Asian Literature

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 1997

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Laura Krauss Melmed and illustrator Jim LaMarche, who previously collaborated on that marvelous original fairy-tale, The Rainbabies , return to the form in this lovely volume. When a lonely woman creates an origami girl, she finds that her creation has come to life, and that Little Oh, as she is called, has soon become a real child to her. But although the woman attempts to keep her fragile daughter safe, Little Oh becomes lost during a trip to the market, and must make her way in a wide and dangerous world. Surviving a trip downriver in a teacup, and a ride on a white crane, Little Oh eventually comes to rest in the garden of a father and son who very much need a wife and mother, not to mention a daughter and sister...

The story in Little Oh put me in mind of any number of folk and fairy-tales featuring miniature people, particularly Hans Christian Andersen's Thumbelina , and the English story of Tom Thumb . The cultural setting here is Japanese, and the author and illustrator thank one Junko Yokota for her consultation, at the back of the book. I found Melmed's story itself quite entertaining, and think that children who enjoy stories of adventure and magic will be likewise engrossed. The accompanying artwork from LaMarche is just gorgeous, as always, capturing the beauty of the world around Little Oh, and the changing emotional state of the humans she encounters. Recommended to fairy-tale lovers, and to fellow Jim LaMarche fans.

[Jane Maple · Rating 4 out of 5]

A woman who worked as a potter making beautiful tea sets lives along in a house in the middle of a garden. In the evenings she does origami and one day creates an origami girl in a pink kimono. The woman tucks her into a lacuer box by her bed and the next day the oragami girl is alive. The woman names her by being so surprised that the first word out of her mouth is “Oh” so the doll presumes that that is her name. The woman and the doll play and the woman cares for the doll, however the woman has neglected her work when she realizes she must make a new tea set in order to have money for food. Meanwhile the origami girl is distracted and wants to play in the wind or skip over the stones in a brook, but her mother warns her of the danger and tries to keep her occupied inside by playing the flute for her. Little Oh convinces her mother to take her with her when they go to the market to try to sell the tea set. The mother agrees but writes her address on Oh’s back, which was a good thing because when a hungry dog goes for the basket that Little Oh’s mother is carrying the doll falls with the tea cup and is lost in the market despite the woman’s searching. Her tea cup rolls into a river as shot floats down the river her tea cup is smashed but Little Oh manages to hold onto a shard of the tea cup. When she gets safely to shore she say “I may be a paper child, but I sailed a raging river.” She finds a depressed crane mourning her husband. Little Oh sings a song to cheer the crane up. The crane allows Little Oh to share her next. The crane decides to go flying and tells Little Oh to show her her home (since she misses her mother). She thinks she has found her house and asks the crane to drop her off in one garden only to look in the window and realize that it is the wrong house when she sees a man and a boy. She sleeps several nights in an empty watering can and watching the man and boy. She mourns that she didn’t have a father or brother and that they don’t seem to have a wife and mother. After watching the boy write, Little Oh remembers about the writing on her back and she folds up into the shape of a heart. The man finds the note in the rain and recognizes the address as nearby. When the man presents the heart to Little Oh’s mother the moment their fingers touch the heart disappears and LIttle Oh appears as a real girl. This is told in a frame story and we realize the woman who was telling it was telling it to the boy who would be Little Oh’s brother when the man and woman marry. The boy runs out to play with Little Oh.
Juniper

[Amy Layton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful story!  Told as a story within a story, Little Oh follows the miraculous creation of an origami girl who comes to life.  Its emotional and enchanting narrative goes hand in hand with those realistic and detailed illustrations--and such realistic illustrations begs the question: could this have really happened?  It's a nice, calm story, perfect for the child who loves fairy tales and magical realism.  Great for grades 2-4.

Review cross-listed here!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this! A woman makes a paper girl to be her daughter and keep her company. Her name is Little Oh. But one day she gets lost, and then she gets returned to the wrong home. I love how this came full circle.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alissa had so many questions about the story and the happenings. She was really into Little Oh's travels.

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful story set in Japan of a little origami doll who somehow comes to life ("Little Oh") and has adventures.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

The touching fairy-tale of a little origami girl, who gets lost, and goes on a fantastic adventure and when she returns home links two families to become one.

[Oanh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This original Japanese folk tale, told from the third-person perspective, tells about how a paper origami doll that comes to life bonds two single-parent families together. The main character, Little Oh, gets swept away by the wind and on her journey home, comes across another family consisting of just a father and his son. Cleverly folding herself into the shape of a heart, Little Oh is discovered by the father who returns her to her mother. As soon as the single father and Little Oh’s mother’s fingers meet, the paper heart disappears and Little Oh transforms into a human girl.

Not only would I use this folk tale to address blended or stepfamilies, I would also use this book to highlight certain aspects and symbols of the Japanese culture (ex. kimonos, things made out of bamboo, tea sets, cranes, Japanese gardens, writing characters on rice paper). I would also read this book to my students to introduce or complement a lesson on paper folding or origami. Although neither the author nor the illustrator are representative of the culture, Laura Krauss Melmed and Jim LaMarche, respectively, have collaboratively crafted a heartwarming original fairy tale through their incorporation of authentic Japanese culture and exquisite paintings.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published: 1997, HarperCollins
Age: 5-9
This is a fantasy story about an origami girl who comes to life. She wants to experience the world but her "mother" does not want her to go out because it would be dangerous for such a small paper doll. Her "mother" finally agrees to take her out and hides her in a basket but she gets lost and must find her way home. She has many adventures while finding her way home and there is a happily ever after magical surprise in the end. The beautiful painted illustrations show characters in action or in detailed close ups that reveal a very familiar face. The kimono clothing and background such as cranes and gardens show authentic Japanese details that add to the text. The story would be a fun introduction to an origami project.

[Elnara Browers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary:
A woman creates an origami girl who gets lots but in the end finds her way back home.
Genre: Fiction
mentor writing trait(s):
Sentence fluency (patterns to the sentence, alternating between narrator and characters), organization (tuning point, culmination, high point at the very end of the story), voice (narrator, main character).
Identify specific concepts that could be integrated into the classroom.
Topic on multicultural families, blended families, Japanese culture, adoption, step-siblings, single parenthood.
Provide any other suggestions that would be useful regarding literary content, reading level, and other ways in which the book might be integrated:
Lower grades, level 4.3

[Kewpie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is similar to Tom Thumb, Thumbelina and Pinochio. A woman creates and paints a handmade paper doll. She stares at it, wishing she had a daughter of her own. Suddenly the little doll comes to life. She is named Oh because that is what the woman exclaimed when she realized the doll was alive. Because she is made of paper, she gets blown away by the wind and has a terrifying (for her) adventure.

[Cali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another "O" book for Collin's learning time, and we loved it. It is a story of a little paper doll who comes to life. She becomes separated from her mother at the market and has a wonderful adventure. In the end she is reunited with her mother and becomes a real girl. Beautifully written, you could imagine the book without the illustrations--but the illustrations are beautiful. I would buy this book.

[Stephanie H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Checked this out from the library but will have to get for youngest daughter's collection. Similarly themed to Rainbabies. Runs along the lines of Thumbelina and The Paper Princess. Illustrations are beautiful and we enjoyed this "new" fairy take with a Japanese setting. This book will be at home on our shelves. I checked it out for a unit on Japan but it would work well in a unit on fairy tales and a more specific unit on Origami. (read along side The Paper Crane)

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

With delicate and colorful illustrations, this story is like an Asian version of Pinocchio. It’s a darling short story about an bold and unafraid piece of paper and the loving woman whom she calls “mother”. The good deed Little Oh performs is unexpected and has startling results. This is a very fetching picture book, perfect for reading aloud to children.

[Isabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very sweet story with lovely illustrations. It's a strange mix of the gingerbread man, Thumbelina and something new I've never seen in a children's book. I guess I'd call it magical realism for children. I also enjoyed the bits of Japanese culture that come through in the story.

[Sydneia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this story about a little origami doll who becomes a daughter to her lonely creator. It is beautifully written and illustrated and filled with love. I would recommend this book for children 8-10.

[Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Asian twist on Pinocchio. It's about a little paper origami girl that gets swept away into an adventure as she tries to find her way back home. Pictures are beautiful life-like paintings. A heart touching story that unites a family together.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think it's important to have books on culture in your book collection. This is a great creative story on a little Japanese paper doll.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mackenzie loved this book.

[Teri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a GREAT story with beautiful illustrations! Really nice supplement to Japanese culture with origami. We LOVED this book!

[Denicemarcell]

very sweet

[Mckinley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creative tale. Possibly use as adoption/addition to family.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is awesome. Cannot wait to read it to the kids. This would be great to add a lesson on origami.

[Kami · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the story, and the pictures were good. Definitely worth checking out from your local library, but not purchase worthy.

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

An origami girl becomes real. (Similar to Tsubu the Little Snail but more heartwarming and MUCH better.)

[Lauren White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for all grades

[Jenny Forgay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good book to add to your collection. This would work great when working on different cultures.