Module 3 Review 1 - Grandfather's journey

Grandfather's journey / by Allen Say.

Bibliographic Citation:

Say, A. (1993). Grandfather’s journey. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Summary:

The author reflects on the journey his family has made back and forth between Japan and North America. He looks back at his grandfather’s desire to travel the world and his exploration of North America, his return to Japan to marry and start a family, his return to California and then back to Japan again. The author follows in his grandfather’s footsteps and travels to see California, a place dear to his grandfather’s heart. He comes to love it as his grandfather did. He too goes back and forth, saying that as soon as he reaches one, his heart longs for the other.

Impressions:

The illustrations are beautiful and give life to the story the author is telling about his grandfather’s journey between Japan and North America. The love and respect the author holds for his grandfather is evident in the tone of the story and illustrations. The draw of this book was the historical aspect as well as the look at a grandfather’s legacy being passed down to grandson. As was the author, I was very close to my grandfather, and after his passing I found solace in retracing the steps of his life and visiting people and places of importance to him.

Library Use Suggestions:

I would start a conversation with students about their grandparents. Questions: how did the author portray his grandfather? Why do you think the author wrote about his grandfather’s journey? What are some things you know about your grandparents? What do you like doing with your grandparents?

After discussing, I will provide students will paper to create their own illustration depicting a grandparent. They will then write a sentence or up to a paragraph (depending on grade level) to describe their illustration.

Reviews:

"The funny thing is, the moment I am in one country, I am homesick for the other," observes Say near the end of this poignant account of three generations of his family's moves between Japan and the US. Say's grandfather came here as a young man, married, and lived in San Francisco until his daughter was "nearly grown" before returning to Japan; his treasured plan to visit the US once again was delayed, forever as it turned out, by WW II. Say's American-born mother married in Japan (cf. Tree of Cranes, 1991), while he, born in Yokohama, came here at 16. In lucid, graceful language, he chronicles these passages, reflecting his love of both countries--plus the expatriate's ever-present longing for home--in both simple text and exquisitely composed watercolors: scenes of his grandfather discovering his new country and returning with new appreciation to the old, and pensive portraits recalling family photos, including two evoking the war and its aftermath. Lovely, quiet- -with a tenderness and warmth new to this fine illustrator's work. (Nonfiction/Picture book. 4+)

(1993, October 1). [Review of Grandfather’s journey]. Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/allen-say/grandfathers-journey/