Grandfather's Journey

Ragina Shearer
5653 Multicultural Children’s and Young Adult Literature
Book Review – Asian Pacific American Literature

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Say, Allen. 1993. GRANDFATHER’S JOURNEY. Illustrated by Allen Say. Boston, Ma.
ISBN 10: 0-395-57035-2.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Say shares a beautiful story of his grandfather’s journey that led him to a land he loved in America and back to his homeland. “He met many people along the way.” The grandfather returns to Japan to marry and returns again to America, where he has a daughter and as she is almost grown he feels the need for her to be in his homeland. “Finally, when his daughter was nearly grown, he could wait no more. He took his family and returned to his homeland.” In Japan his daughter marries and has a son. The grandfather wishes to return to America but is never able to due to World War II, he shares his love of California with his grandson instead. The grandson grows and moves to California, but then he too longs for his homeland so he lives his life traveling back and forth. After he builds a life in California he realizes why his grandfather had such a love for the place and he feels close to him once again. “After a time, I came to love the land my grandfather had loved, and I stayed on and on until I had a daughter of my own.”


3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
Say remarkable shares the love of both countries between three generations revealing the beauty of both countries and the uncontrollable boundaries between them depicted in his heartwarming words as well as remarkable touching pictures. “The funny thing is, the moment I am in one country, I am homesick for the other.” This is an excellent read aloud to embrace discussion on the feelings of immigrants.

The watercolor drawings on each page add depth to the story. The character pictures resemble formal photos and snapshots. The characters are portrayed as authentically Japanese with yellow skin tones, dark straight hair and squinting eyes. The clothes worn are authentic to either Japan or America depending on the location of the character on that page. The landscape is described and portrayed to represent the landscapes of the mountains and fields of America and the land of Japan. Each picture authentically represents the clothing worn in the different countries according to the time period depicted on that page, there is a span of several years since this short story spans the lives of three generations.

The gray and dark tones accompany the sad expressions on the picture and in the words representing the time of World War II. This dark coloring, shabby surroundings and sad features are controversial to the peaceful and colorful pictures on the other pages which represent the feelings of the other time periods. “When the war ended, there was nothing left of the city and of the house where my grandparents had lived.” The grandson grows up and life cycles back to happier times.



4. REVIEW EXCERPT (S)
HORN BOOK starred: “The immigrant experience has rarely been so poignantly evoked as it is in this direct, lyrical narrative, accompanied by soft-toned watercolors.”
KIRKUS REVIEW starred: “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.”
PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY: “Elegantly honed text accompanies large, formally composed paintings to convey Say's family history; the sepia tones and delicately faded colors of the art suggest a much-cherished and carefully preserved family album.”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “A personal history of three generations of the author's family that points out the emotions that are common to the immigrant experience.”

5. CONNECTIONS
This is an excellent book to use as a read aloud in grades 3 and up while discussing the various feelings, wants and needs of immigrants.

Other picture books by Allen Say include:
Say, Allen. KAMISHIBAI MAN. ISBN 10: 0-618-47954-6
Say, Allen. EMMA’S RUG. ISBN 10: 0-395-74294-3
Say, Allen. ALLISON. ISBN 10: 0-395-85895-X
Say, Allen. TREE OF CRANES. ISBN 10: 0-395-52024-X