The Caldecott Medal winner, Grandfather's Journey takes readers on an adventure that spans three generations and shows how life often comes full circle. The story is clearly presented, beginning with a Japanese man leaving Japan for the New World, exploring the country, and settling in California where he marries and starts a family. The first two pictures of the book show the grandfather in traditional Japanese clothing on the left, and traditional English clothing on the right, for a side-to-side comparison foreshadowing the man's dual identity that is explored throughout the rest of the story. The grandfather and his family begin and continue a cycle of moving between the two countries, so readers are exposed to beautiful landscape pictures of America and Japan. The wonderfully-detailed oil paintings first show the American wheat fields, desert, mountains, and cities; when the grandfather returns to Japan, readers see the beautiful rice fields, mountains, and bamboo homes.
This story is an accurate portrayal of a new immigrant coming to America and making his way. It is a wonderful segue into speaking with your child about how America is a land of immigrants and, at some point, their own ancestors emigrated here from another country; "He [Grandfather] shook hands with black men and white men, with yellow men and read men." This will likely spark numerous questions from your child, as they will want to know more about their roots. You can also educate them on the war with Japan, as there are some striking pictures toward the end - one of a Japanese child soldier, and another of a family atop ruins that had once been their home before the war - that may surprise your child and evoke curiosity.
I have read this book to my friend, Nick, quite a few times. He always has a lot of questions at the end, as he finds it fascinating that this story is true, and the images are actually what things looked like during the grandfather's time. Nick's own grandfather emigrated from Ireland, so he loves to hear that story over and over. He thinks it's funny to ask if that is the end of the rainbow, since his dad said that once as a joke and it always gets a few laughs.
--Audra