• Age: 4 to 8
• Grade: 2 to 3

Three girls sent away by a father who wishes for them a more prosperous life.

Once there lived three Japanese sisters:

• The eldest sister's name was Aki, which means autumn. She was named this because she was as graceful as the gold and red colored leaves that swirl gently to earth in the autumn breeze.
• The middle sister's name was Fuyu, which means winter. She was named this because her skin was as fair as the whitest winter's snow.
• The youngest sister's name was Haruko, which means spring. She was named this because her silky, black hair smelled of the sweetest spring blossoms.

The gently eloquent tale follows the progress of three so-called "picture brides" who come to Canada in the early twentieth century, three girls sent away by a father who wishes for them a more prosperous life than he can provide in their hometown of Sendai. Reluctant as they are to leave home, the sisters are nonetheless obedient to their father's wishes. Each takes with her one item that will remind her of their home. One brings a kimono, another a violin, but the youngest, Haruko, brings three seeds of the sakura tree.

The sisters arrive on the shores of British Columbia, where their husbands await. Each joins the husband to whom she has been promised, and each has her own way of remembering the family and country she has left behind.

Haruko plants the sakura seeds, each of which grows into a cherry tree. One spring, the blossoms swirl away in the wind, and are carried to the doorsteps of the two other sisters. The blossoms remind the sisters of Haruko and their Japanese home. Following the blossoms, they find Haruko's home and the three are reunited under the sakura trees to remember their lives together.

This is a book about the meaning of family and home and an exploration of Japanese culture in Canada.

Carolyn McTighe is freelance writer whose articles have appeared in magazines and newspapers across Canada and the United States. She has written for CBC Radio, the Los Angeles Times, Toronto Sun, Ottawa Sun, 24 Hours Vancouver and most recently ELLE Canada. Her first children's book, The Sakura Tree, was published in 2007 by Red Deer Press, and her first non-fiction adult book, Vacuuming in Pearls will be published in 2011. Carolyn lives in British Columbia, with her husband and four children.

Carolyn McTighe's profile page

Karen Brownlee's art focuses on landscapes, rural Alberta communities and grain elevators. Her watercolor series, Rural Prairie Communities and her Back Home 2005, a touring centennial exhibition, have been exhibited in galleries throughout Alberta. Karen Brownlee has been a juror for the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, is a recipient of the Prairie Heritage Preservation Award and is the Founder of the Artist in Residency Program in Lethbridge, where she lives with her husband and two children.

Karen Brownlee's profile page

"The Sakura Tree is a gentle, pleasant picture book. . . Artwork by Karen Brownlee of Lethbridge, AB, is done in delicate watercolors, which suit the mild atmosphere of the story. . . This book might also be used in an art lesson to demonstrate Japanese fabrics and patterns."
Recommended.
— CM Magazine

"This exquisite picture book is the story of three sisters from Japan who are wed to men in different parts of Canada. The sisters each have their own interests and each choose one thing to bring with them to their new homes to remind them of the place they are leaving. This hard cover book is sturdily constructed and the illustrations are lovely. The end papers have real photos of Japanese brides, giving the story a stronger sense of authenticity. This book deserves a four star rating, an excellent choice for classrooms and libraries. The multicultural nature of this book is also a compelling reason to include it in your school. It has much to say about the strengths of family bonds that bind people together and help them face the challenges of living in a foreign land."
— Lane Education Service District (4 out of 5 Stars)

The Sakura Tree