The Long Silk Strand: A Grandmother's Legacy to Her Granddaughter (by Laura E. Williams)

This cultural tale answers universal questions about death and the importance of life. Yasuyo climbs into the clouds, where she finds her grandmother. Standing above and looking down on her family, Yasuyo realizes the importance of her life with them, and her grandmother reaffirms the power of living. She doesn't tell her granddaughter what to do, but she does help her make her decision to return to the world of the living. The symbol of the threads tied together to reflect Grandma's life is beautiful and adds concreteness to the abstract concepts.

Illustrator Grayce Bochak is brilliant at choosing unusual angles for her scenes. In her cut-paper pictures, she makes ordinary life look heaven-like, and the cool pinks and greens of the color scheme create just the right tone to match Williams' pacing and otherworldly scenarios.