Once upon a time, Òokappa,Ó or a short bob with clipped bangs, was a typical hairstyle for young girls, say, up to five or six years old, before they started growing their hair. This simple hairstyle symbolizes that precious childhood moment when we were old enough to start exploring the world on our own but before the weight of adulthood began to overshadow our innocence. The girl with okappa hair, who remained deep inside the author Kay SawataniÕs heart for many years, comes alive through the words and images in this book.