Yoko needs to learn how to read ;and fast, if she is going to keep up with the other students, who keep putting up new leaves on the book tree on the classroom wall. Mama is eager to help, even though as a native-born Japanese she can't read English herself. She takes Yoko to the library, where they pick out lots of books with appealing pictures. But guessing the story based on the pictures isn't really reading. Soon Yoko starts sounding out letters, putting them together, and then identifying words. She's reading all by herself! In a poignant ending, Yoko begins to teach her mama how to read in just the same way.