Every year, Kinga and his classmates wait for the black-necked cranes to return to the kingdom of Bhutan. The birds fly south over the highest mountains in the word to winter in the valley where Kinga lives, deep in the Himalayas. The cranes have been visiting the valley since ancient times, but every year, fewer cranes return. Kinga is concerned. "What can he do?," he wonders. He and his classmates approach the monks for permission to create and perform a dance to honor the cranes and to remind the Bhutanese people of their duty to care for them. The monks caution them to first watch the cranes to see how they move and learn from them. The children watch and practice. And practice some more until the big day when they perform before the king of Bhutan. Diana Cohn is an educator and writer with an active commitment to social justice work. She has published six picture books for children. Crane Boy was inspired by two visits to Bhutan and by her interest in how cultural traditions evolve and adapt over time. Youme is an author, illustrator, and community-based artist who has worked internationally in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. Her first book Selavi: That is Life won the 2005 Jane Addams Peace Award. Pitch Black: Don't Be Skerd , a graphic novel she co-authored with Anthony Horton, was named one of YALSA's Top Ten Great Graphic Novels in 2009. "[Diana] Cohn weaves numerous details about Bhutanese life and culture into her smoothly told story; Youme adds even more with watercolor images in a naïve style that nicely matches Kinga's present-tense narration.... [Crane Boy] gracefully celebrates both a little-known culture and its beloved birds." -- Kirkus Reviews "The soft watercolor illustrations are as graceful as the text ... a fascinating, exquisite book." -- Foreword Reviews "Not only is this a charming tale, beautifully told and exquisitely illustrated, it introduces all of us to a fascinating country and culture through the eyes of a child." -- Judy Reads Books "Crane Boy is the beautiful story of a boy in Bhutan who loved the return of the black-necked cranes to his valley each year." -- Midwest Book Review "Give this lovely picture book to any child who is looking to change the world for the better." -- School Library Journal "This tale of wildlife conservation is narrated by a boy named Kinga, who eagerly awaits the annual return of the black-necked cranes to his Himalayan village.... The illustrations throughout showcase both Bhutanese life (filled with boisterously decorated prayer flags, flamboyant buildings, and lush forests) and the exquisite beauty and strength of the cranes, seen flying in formation and close-up." -- Booklist Diana Cohn is an educator and writer with an active commitment to social justice work. Diana has published 6 picture books for children including Dream Carver, Si Se Puede! Yes We Can!, Namaste! The Bee Tree, Mr. Goethe’s Garden and Roses for Isabella. Her 7th book, Crane Boy was inspired by 2 visits to Bhutan and by her interest in how cultural traditions evolve and adapt over time and her interest in the environment and human ecology. When not writing, Diana works as the Executive Director of the Panta Rhea Foundation, based in Sausalito, California, and oversees grant-making for the Social Imagination, Arts and Education program. Her work at Panta Rhea builds on more than three decades of experience in social justice philanthropy, human rights advocacy and education. She has a BA in Human Ecology from the College of the Atlantic and an MA in education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Diana serves on the board of the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco and the Oakland based FoodCraft Institute as well as on the advisory board for Litquake- the West Coast’s largest week-long literary festival held each October in San Francisco. When not working or writing, she enjoys hiking and biking with her husband in northern Ca.