This book about an artist, his cook, his painting, and his kitten, is a most unusual piece of storytelling.

Will the kitten, who brought good luck to the house, be admitted into the painting of the great Buddha?

She listens and watches as the artist recalls the story of each animal, then paints it. She hears the cook's songs. Does she go to heaven, in the procession, with the noble horse and elephant, the beautiful deer and tiger, the strange monkey and snail? Read and learn how things happened in Japan long ago.

Seldom has an artist caught so exactly an author's intention. The story says: then he painted the swan. The picture looks as if the artist's brush had just left the canvas. We think that many people of many ages will enjoy this story picture book.

From the dust jacket