Age: Preschool-Kindergarten
Emotions: Shy, fearful, agoraphobia

Elise is scared of everything and has no desire to leave her house. She is not proud of her fearfulness but she can't imagine any other way to live. When a boy comes looking for a paper airplane that entered her house, Elise miraculously lets him in, against her better judgement. The boy's gentle curiosity warms Elise up as they find joy in each other's presence. A growing splash of color emerges from their happiness, gradually taking over the drab, sepia-toned shades of Elise's house.

Intergenerational friendship shines through in this brief and powerful story. The three-dimensional, paper-cut artwork adds such life to this story, and the translation is very well written.