The Origami Master by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer

Illustrated by Aki Sogabe. A warbler in a tree observes an origami master creating origami during the day. At night, the warbler flies inside and creates his own origami masterpieces. Shimi eventually captures the bird in order to learn its secrets. In the end, Shimi comes to realize the importance of freedom and friendship. The bright, vivid colors of the origami paper, trees, etc. will work well for read alouds. There is a "Make Your Own Origami Bird" activity at the end of the book. In addition to being a wonderful multicultural title, this picture book also contains a simple moral for children.