Three Strong Women: A Tall Tale From Japan

Readers will delight in the incredible strength of a daughter, mother and grandmother who welcome a young man, Forever-Mountain, to their farm and train him to defeat the greatest wrestlers in the Emperor's court. Maru-Me has no trouble in capturing the wrestler -- she merely exercises her strong grip and serves him right up to the family. Mother's strength is quite impressive too as she hoists the cow up on her shoulders with ease. But myopic rheumatic old Granny is the real pro. When an oak tree blocks her path, she pulls it up by its roots and has her daughter hurl it over the mountain. It is Granny who coaches Forever-Mountain and who is in the end responsible for his miraculous victory in the ring. Kazue Mizumura's rollicking illustrations of these fantastic doings are wonderful fun and Claus Stamm's text has all the elements of a perfect tall tale.