Grandfather's Journey

Mar 30, 2009 Dolly rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: parents reading with their children

Shelves: 2009, caldecott-medal, childrens, japan, nonfiction, reading-rainbow, biography, picture-book-club

This is a wonderful story about the life of a man from Japan. Early on, he travels extensively throughout the US and then returns home to raise his family. The pictures are amazing, as you would expect for a Caldecott Medal winner, and they tell a beautiful story of the man's life, as he grows up, starts a family and passes on his story to a younger generation. The narrative is simple, often one or two sentences per page, but it is enough to weave a beautiful tale, a heartfelt memoir of the auth...more

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Apr 30, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: picture-books-with-bea, reading-rainbow

Reading Rainbow: Watch the Stars Come Out.
This was a very interesting take on an immigrant story. A good addition to any study of the subject. We like his books a lot.

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Apr 06, 2013 Florence Baumgardner rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Children and adults.

Recommended to Florence by: librarian

Shelves: childrens-s-literature

Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say
ISBN 0-395-57035-2
Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say is the Caldecott Award winner for 1994. It is a picture book written for P-Primary ages 5-8. The author recounts his grandfather's journey leaving Japan. Coming to America to live and his travels in the United States. His return journey back home to Japan and where the author was born. The author talks about when he comes to America to live and how he is homesick and returns to visit. I enjoyed reading book v...more

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Mar 04, 2013 Leslie Bardo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: diversity-literature

This book by Allen Say, author and illustrator, is about his grandfather’s journey across two cultures. At first, the story is set with his grandfather leaving his homeland of Japan to travel the globe. He sees mountains, coastlines, the Pacific Ocean, fields, trains, riverboats and meets many people. The paintings of all these sights are incredibly gorgeous and are just as much to admire as the story itself; the art is done as great quality with detailed lines and colors. His grandfather settle...more

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Feb 17, 2013 Ashleigh rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: traditional, picture-book

Summary
Grandfather’s Journey is about a young man telling the story of his grandfather and his journey from Japan to America and back to Japan again. His grandfather loved both places and if he could he would have been in Japan and America at once. He talks about the struggle to feel at home and not be homesick when he was in one country and not the other. The grandson then goes on to talk about himself and his life when he got older. He went to go to America to see what his grandfather talked a...more Summary
Grandfather’s Journey is about a young man telling the story of his grandfather and his journey from Japan to America and back to Japan again. His grandfather loved both places and if he could he would have been in Japan and America at once. He talks about the struggle to feel at home and not be homesick when he was in one country and not the other. The grandson then goes on to talk about himself and his life when he got older. He went to go to America to see what his grandfather talked about and when he had a child of his own they also went back and forth between the two countries to experience both cultures.
Response
“The funny thing is, the moment I am in one country, I am homesick for the other.” (p. 31). I believe this is a memorable quote from the book because it makes us realize that if given the opportunity to travel to different countries we will find something that we love in that country and therefore when we are in a different country we will miss the other. I also like how he can now relate to what his grandfather was telling him when he was little. He can now see what his grandfather loved so much about each country. This book reminds me of my own life because it reminds me when my grandma would tell me stories about her life and how she traveled from Mexico to the United States. I once traveled to Mexico to see what it was like for my grandma when she lived there and realized how grateful I was for my life in America. I think that it taught me to appreciate things more because where my grandma lived she did not have much and had to work very hard to get where she got.
Classroom Connection
I think that the classroom connection that connects to this book would to be to learn about the different cultures and to teach the children how different it was for their grandparents back when they were children. I could also have the children interview their grandparents to see what it was like when they were children and see if the students can relate to their grandparents in way.
Lexile/Guided Reading Level
The lexile for this book is 650. The guided reading level is O. This book would be appropriate for grades k-2 for a read aloud and should be read independently by grade 3.
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Feb 13, 2013 Hannah Delaughter rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, informational, picture-book, grade-1, grade-2, grade-3, grade-k, grade-4

This picture book is told by a grandfather's grandson. The grandson talks about his grandfather's journey when he came to the new world. He said that his grandfather loved the new world so much that he went back to get his bride-to-be and brought her to the new world to make a home and raise a family in California. Later on in the book the grandfather becomes depressed in a way because he misses his homeland and wants to go back. So once his daughter was old enough they picked up their belongin...more This picture book is told by a grandfather's grandson. The grandson talks about his grandfather's journey when he came to the new world. He said that his grandfather loved the new world so much that he went back to get his bride-to-be and brought her to the new world to make a home and raise a family in California. Later on in the book the grandfather becomes depressed in a way because he misses his homeland and wants to go back. So once his daughter was old enough they picked up their belongings and moved back overseas. Even though the grandfather said he missed his homeland; he also missed his home in California. Later on, he said he was going to go back, but the war started and he wasn't able to. Now the grandson, the one that is telling the story, he grew up in Japan (the homeland) and then moved to California like his grandfather wanted to do again. Once the grandson moved there, he then experienced the same feeling as the grandfather. The pictures in this book were creative and were great descriptions of the scenery. I believe that some of the pictures weren't necessary though.
I thought that this book was okay. It kept my attention, but if it were a little bit longer I think that it would have lost my whole attention. One of the most memorable quotes that stood out to me was on one of the last pages, "The funny this is, the moment I am in one country, I am homesick for the other." (Say, 1993). I can definitely apply this to my life in the way of being somewhere and missing where I am from. When I was going to school at Ball State University, I missed home and everything about it. I missed the smell of food cooking, my family, and my friends that I have known my entire life. Now that I am home, I miss Ball State. I miss the freedom that I had down there, my friends that I made, the new responsibilities as a college student, and not having to live with my parents. Even though I love them both, no matter where I am I will always miss the other one.
I can apply this to my classroom by having my student bring in something from their family history and share it with the class. This will give the students the opportunity to get to know other cultures and even help each one of them to discover something that they never knew about their family history. I can also teach some reading strategies from this book as well. This book will help me teach how to sound out different types of words and to use context clues. There are some difficult words in this book that some students might not be able to get right away.
The lexile for this book is AD650L and the Guided Reading is O. This book is suitable for any age between 5-12. I wouldn't expect any student to be able to read this until the third of forth grade.
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Feb 11, 2013 Lacey Ellison rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: print-format, picture-book, historical-fiction, multicultural, family, importance-of-memory

Annotation:

This children's picture book is about a man who tells of his grandfather who left Japan to move to the United States. After World War II, he was unable to return to the U.S. His grandson then tells of his journey to the United States, and he realizes he has a sense of belonging to both the U.S. and Japan, just like his grandfather did.

The illustrations in this book are watercolor in the style of realism. The characters are represented as if in real life, and the photo-like illustrati...more Annotation:

This children's picture book is about a man who tells of his grandfather who left Japan to move to the United States. After World War II, he was unable to return to the U.S. His grandson then tells of his journey to the United States, and he realizes he has a sense of belonging to both the U.S. and Japan, just like his grandfather did.

The illustrations in this book are watercolor in the style of realism. The characters are represented as if in real life, and the photo-like illustrations accurately depict the different settings in history. The watercolor pictures show the natural beauty of Japan and the United States and complement the story perfectly.

Response:

My favorite quote from the story is when the grandson realizes how much he and his grandfather had in common, and how important both countries are to him. He says, "The funny thing is, the moment I am in one country, I am homesick for the other. I think I know my grandfather now. I miss him very much" (p. 31-32). I think that this shows the value of multicultural literature, because children who have come here from different countries can connect with how he feels in the story.

One thing that I noticed about this book is how well the illustrations conveyed emotion and beauty in the story. The pictures helped depict the grandson's sense of belonging to both Japan and the United States. I also noticed how the names of the characters weren't mentioned in the story. I think this makes the story a little bit more challenging for children to read.

Classroom Connections:

I think one activity could be to have the students pick a place on the globe they might want to visit. Then, they could find out some information about the country and make posters displaying their findings. I would also ask them the differences between the place they chose to visit and the U.S. I would then ask the students to talk about the place they chose to the class. I think that this activity would help the students learn a little more about other places in the world as well as better their understanding of the story and other cultures.

Text Complexity:

The lexile of this book is 650, and it has a Guided Reading Level of O. It would be a good read aloud for grades 1-4, and students should be able to read the text independently by the second month of fourth grade.

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Feb 08, 2013 Xiaohui Yang rated it 3 of 5 stars

Allen Say recounts the true story of his grandfather and himself in Grandfather’s Journey. His grandfather left Japan to see the world as a young man. “He wore European clothes for the first time and began his journey on a steamship. (p. 5)” The first two illustrations make a direct and forceful comparison between the traditional Japanese kimono and the “European clothes”. In the whole book, differences between Japan and America have not been described by words. But they are evident as we can se...more

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Dec 10, 2012 Pierre Arnette rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: cultural, non-fiction, children, primary-grades

Grandfather’s Journey was written by Allen Say and he also illustrated the book as well. This was a picture book, but it was geared toward children in primary grades because it does have words that go along with the pictures in the book. The main characters in the book are Say’s grandfather, grandmother, his mom, and Say, but the book revolves mostly around his grandfather and the story is told from Say’s point of view. The story takes place all over the United States and in Japan.
The story sta...more

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Nov 28, 2012 Kaitlyn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-study-allen-say, picture-book, multiculturalism, caldecott-winner

There are many people who have ancestors that came over to the United States as immigrants. Allen Say is one of these people. In the book, Grandfather’s Journey, his Grandfather travels to America as a young man from Japan. He traveled all over the country until he found his favorite place to be, California. There his Grandfather enjoyed the beautiful surroundings, but a large part of him began to miss his homeland.
Grandfather’s Journey is all about Grandfather’s love for both places. I could...more

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Nov 18, 2012 Mitchell M rated it 5 of 5 stars

Grandfather’s Journey
Grade/interest level: Primary (2nd to 3rd)
Reading level: Fountas and Pinnell: O
Grade: 3.6
Genre: picture book, multicultural, biography
Main Characters: A man from Japan
Setting: California/Japan/on the sea
POV: from man’s daughter’s son.

This is a picture book about a man from Japan who goes to the United States and wants to settle down in California. (I don’t blame him; I love California too!) Anyways, he returns to Japan and marries his childhood sweetheart. He takes his love...more

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Oct 24, 2012 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: asian-pacific-american-multicultura

Grandfather’s Journey is excellent! I love the simple story but my absolute favorite part of the book is the gorgeous illustrations. I can definitely see why this book is deserving of a Caldecott Medal. I love that the pictures are so large and take up most of each page. The colors used in each picture are also gorgeous and the detail is immaculate. I love the detail used in the textures of the clothing on the characters and facial expressions throughout the book. I think Allen Say’s artistic st...more Grandfather’s Journey is excellent! I love the simple story but my absolute favorite part of the book is the gorgeous illustrations. I can definitely see why this book is deserving of a Caldecott Medal. I love that the pictures are so large and take up most of each page. The colors used in each picture are also gorgeous and the detail is immaculate. I love the detail used in the textures of the clothing on the characters and facial expressions throughout the book. I think Allen Say’s artistic style is truly something to marvel at. I think the actual story itself is also a work of art. The beginning of the book illustrates the concept of coming to American from Japan very well for a younger reader. The two pages where the grandfather is shown in his native Japanese dress and his English clothing side by side is very helpful for the reader to see when comparing the two cultures. One of my favorite pages is when the grandfather is walking through the farm field and they are reminding him of the ocean he’d crossed. Even though this picture is very simple it is beautiful and carries a lot of meaning. I also really love the descriptions of the different landscapes he sees as he crosses America and all the different kinds of people he comes in contact with. I think this book carries so much meaning because it is ultimately the story of a man being torn between two beautiful places he loves. The man moves back and forth several times and after a certain amount of time in one of the places, he always becomes homesick for the other. These two places, of course, are California and Japan. I also really like how the author brings World War II in to the storyline. I think the way it is introduced from a Japanese perspective in this book is very well done and would be very beneficial in a lesson about the Japanese in America and abroad during this time as well as the atomic bombings in Japan. It must have been very difficult for the grandfather and other Japanese people who had lived in America and loved it to see their two favorite places at war with one another. I think this perspective really gives this book a twist that only older readers might understand. The ending of the book is kind of sad as the grandfather never lives to see California again largely in part of the war. It is sweet that the grandson is able to make the trip to America though so that he can see the land he has heard so many stories about. Overall I thought this book was a fantastic piece of literature that offered a unique, multicultural perspective in a historical context. I loved it!(less)

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Oct 23, 2012 Gail Lebeter rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: award-winning, children, history, picture-book, wide-reading, biography, informational

Summary
Grandfather's Journey is the story of the author's grandfather as a young man leaving his home in Japan to go to America. While he falls in love with California, he soon misses Japan and the sweetheart he left behind. He marries his love and brings her back to San Francisco to raise a daughter. Years later, they decide to return to Japan to live, but the grandfather always longs for the mountains of California. Although he is unable to visit the country he remembers, his grandson leaves J...more Summary
Grandfather's Journey is the story of the author's grandfather as a young man leaving his home in Japan to go to America. While he falls in love with California, he soon misses Japan and the sweetheart he left behind. He marries his love and brings her back to San Francisco to raise a daughter. Years later, they decide to return to Japan to live, but the grandfather always longs for the mountains of California. Although he is unable to visit the country he remembers, his grandson leaves Japan to see the land his grandfather told him stories about and realizes he is more like his grandfather than he thought. Allen Say is the author, illustrator, and grandson of this book. The watercolor illustrations throughout the book look like old family photos that give the feel that you are flipping through a scrapbook.

Response
I felt this book deserved 5 stars because although the protagonist is not a child, he is a young man who has dreams of branching out and seeing the world, a dream shared by many young people. Like so many of us, he realizes that there is no place like home, even if home is on two different continents. The timeline of the story is the grandfather's life from young adulthood through his death, but it is linear and easy to follow. This books also expands awareness, is an enjoyable read that does not moralize, tells the truth, embodies quality, has integrity and shows originality (TMY, 2010, p. 9).

I was moved by the story of the man who was torn between two countries he had grown to love. I was so sad for the grandfather when it said that after the war ended, "there was nothing left of the city and of the house where [his] grandparents had lived," and that although he longed for California, he never saw it again, (Say, 1993, p. 27).

Classroom Connection
A social studies and math lesson could be connected to this book by having students study distances on a map and determine how many miles the grandfather traveled. Students can also connect this book to a history lesson about what was happening to Japanese-Americans during the war, while his grandfather was in Japan and also what meaningful event (Hiroshima) happened that would have caused nothing to be left of the city they had lived in.

Text Complexity
Grandfather's Journey has a 650L and a GR level of O. This would be an appropriate read-aloud for 2-5 grade and an independent read for the beginning of 4th grade.(less)

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Oct 14, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: asain, picture-book, print-form, edci-311, 3-5

Grandfather’s Journey
Tags: Asain picture book, print form

Summary
In Allen Say’s book, Grandfather’s Journey, he tells us of his heritage and his love for two countries. His grandfather and he love Japan and the United States of America. He tells how if he is in one country, he misses the other. The illustrations in the book are beautiful watercolors.

Response
I really enjoyed the water color pictures in this book. The autobiographical story of his life was interesting. I enjoyed how the grandfathe...more

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Oct 11, 2012 Kori Hall rated it 5 of 5 stars

Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say is an amazing book about the life of a man from Japan. he travels all around North America and lands in California here is where he falls in love with state. He later goes back to Japan where he marries his longtime girlfriend and they move to California and have a daughter. While his daughter is young he begins to miss his homeland, where he exchange stories and laugh with his old friends. So when his daughter gets a little older they move back to Japan. Later...more

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Sep 30, 2012 Michelle Plucinski rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, elementary-school-teachers, picture-book, print-format, caldecott-medal, grade-k-5

Summary
A story of a young man’s grandfather and his journey through life and living, all the way up to his grandsons life. The grandfather lived a life that was upset by war. He went from Japan to America and back to Japan living the life he wanted to life. This story explains the journey that he had between the countries and the upsets that came with them.

Response
I really liked this book and the amazing illustrations that came with them. What was neat was that as the story was being told, the i...more

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Sep 25, 2012 Jenni Kemling rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: picture-book, japan, print-format, caldecott-award-winner, children-s-literature, edci-311, fourth-grade

Summary

Grandfather's Journey is told from the point of view of the grandfather's grandchild. It chronicles the grandfather's life as he traveled back and fourth from Japan to California. It speaks about how the grandfather has homesickness of one place when he's in the other. The grandchild then realizes how connected he is to his Grandfather and how he ends up expeirencing the same situations as he did and how after he has expierenced the same things that he knows his grandfather better.
I lo...more

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Sep 25, 2012 Jacqueline Campos rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: web, picture-book, realistic-fiction, grades-3-5, award-winning

From Japan to the United States and then back to Japan a young man recalls the journey his grandfather made to the U.S back before WWII. The young man then grows up and continues his grandfather’s journey and discovers a deeper understanding of the man he called Grandfather. The pictures in the book are very important because they illustrate what his Grandfather saw as he traveled America and also the difference in the two lifestyles he lived in American and Japan.

This book reminds me of how in...more

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Sep 24, 2012 Ciara Alamillo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: print, paperback, picture-book, journey, grandfather, village, california, 3-5

Summary
This book is about a man who is telling the story of his grandfather and his journey to America from Japan. He tells stories of how he loved to travel and ended up back in Japan but longed to visit California again. The man also tells the story of himself and how all the stories of California influenced him to also visit and soon live in California.

The pictures in this book seem to be made from watercolor. The pictures are very detailed and seem to capture the eyes of the reader. Overall...more

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Jul 14, 2012 Terri Lynn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: children

I enjoyed this children's picture book very much. The art is very good and the story even better. This is a story about three generations of one family where the grandfather came to the USA as a young man from Japan and fell in love with the country, especially California and the San Francisco area where he finally settles. We see the places he goes and his reactions to these marvels.

He returns to Japan to marry his childhood sweetheart and returns to San Francisco. Their daughter is born there...more I enjoyed this children's picture book very much. The art is very good and the story even better. This is a story about three generations of one family where the grandfather came to the USA as a young man from Japan and fell in love with the country, especially California and the San Francisco area where he finally settles. We see the places he goes and his reactions to these marvels.

He returns to Japan to marry his childhood sweetheart and returns to San Francisco. Their daughter is born there and life is happy until he becomes so homesick he wants to return home for a visit when his daughter is very nearly an adult. While there, the daughter who has never been out of the USA and is an all-American girl, is like a fish out of water among the traditional Japanese but her father buys a house and decides to stay.

The daughter marries and has a son of her own- the author. As the boy grows, his grandfather is now homesick for California! It seems that if he is in California, he misses Japan but if he is in Japan, he misses California. The grandfather plans to visit California but when the Japanesde bomb Pearl Harbor, he cannot and by the end of the war, the Americans have attacked innocent civilians- babies, school kids, housewives, and the sick and elderly- and left their homes in rubbles and so many dead or with cancer or burns. He never does return but his grandson (the author) winds up moving to California and falling in love with it but has the same problem- whichever country he is in, he is homesick for the others.

This book is an excellent way to introduce kids to the idea of people coming from one place to the USA and loving both places. It also shows the way our choices can affect us and our loved ones. Imagine being a 17 year old girl and living only in the USA then being expected to go to Japan where everything is radically different and to fit in and live there the rest of your life. Picture also being a young Japanese man who suddenly is in western clothes and eating western food and expecting to fit into western culture. These are things that fascinate me and I think you and your children would love to read this. Teachers should consider this as a class read-aloud.(less)

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Nov 21, 2011 Bajen rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Children I reviewed for children's biography is calle entitle Grandfather's journey.It is illustated by Allen Say.It is a children's biography suitable for 5-6.The author of this book Allen Say had written other books selected as an AlA natable children's book. He is a winner of the 1988 Caldecott Honor Medal and 1988 Boston Globe Horn book award.Allen Say is an immagrant to the United Staes from Yokohama, Japan.He migrated to United states when he was sixteen. He wrote this book Grandfather...more The Children I reviewed for children's biography is calle entitle Grandfather's journey.It is illustated by Allen Say.It is a children's biography suitable for 5-6.The author of this book Allen Say had written other books selected as an AlA natable children's book. He is a winner of the 1988 Caldecott Honor Medal and 1988 Boston Globe Horn book award.Allen Say is an immagrant to the United Staes from Yokohama, Japan.He migrated to United states when he was sixteen. He wrote this book Grandfather's journey through compelling reminicenses of his grandfather's life in America and Japan. He delivers a poignant account of his family's unique cross-cultural experience. He warmly conveys his own love for his two contries and describes the strong and constant desires to be in both places at once. He illustrated this book with exquisite paintings, intimate memorable picture yet of the bidging of two cultures.
I choosed this book Grandfather's journey because reminds me coming to the United states as an immigrant refugee.My children and i are facing two cultures and trying to bridge the gap is not something done overnight and not talking of the how much we are missing home.I would like my children to read this book so that some day they might want to write a story about our journey to the United States this book would be a great example. I also like the portray in the front of the page it tells you what the expect reading. It showsthe picture of real granfather from Japan.The paintings look like real people they are colorful pictures drawn on each side of the pages and are lined in boxes. Every page leads the reader to think what comes next. The words are written in black and white and in bold print.Overall Grandfather's journey is an amazing story that could be used to teach asocial studies inorder to teach children wht it fit in a different culture.

The book I read on historical fiction is entitle The watson go To Birmingham written in 1963. It about the weird Watson Family of Daddy, Mommy,sister Joetta, brother Byron who was thirteen and also an "official juvenile Delinquent" who decided to visit Grandma in Birmingham, Alabama, then called in those the darlest moments in America's history. It was given that name because in the history of U.s there was struggle for basic human rights that became known as the civil rights movement which to the declaration of Independence states that all men are created equal.The book is illustrated by christopher Paul Curris who is a winner of multiple awards. He had an ALA notable book for Young Adults. This bok is suitable for young adults historical fiction.
I choosed this book because I need to learn about American history, first I live in the United States and secondly changing status from permanent residence to citizenship you need to answer questions on American Independence and also trying to be a teacher I need to learn about the country, it's people, geographical location and culture. This book is a good resource for me. It is easy to read and understand. The book is not big, the language is simple and it is written in bold black and white ink, although it has no pictures but it was good to read.

My third book is contemporary science fiction.This book I read is Scorpions- the heat is on written by Walter Dean Myers. This book is an AlA notable children's book. It is recommended for young adult readers.The book is about a boy name Jamal who ben hard time by children at school, teachers, principal and even his mother yells at him all the time. The scorpion is a gang of crack and with whatever Jamal was going through they wanted him to be the leader.The whole story is "A realistic, spare, and almost unbearable sad Story".
I chhosed this book because the front page was very attrctive with the word scorpion written with bold colored letters. In was curious to read the book because seeing the word scorpion made me remember been bitten by a scorpion on the farm when I was ten years old. First when I saw the two boys on the front of the page ny first taught was may be they have had the same experience with scorpions not until I read the the book to know that it's a totally different story but the word scorpion also tells you that dealing with gangs is as hot as the sting of a scorpion. The book is interesting, easy to understand and it's written in black and white ink.

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Nov 17, 2011 Joanna Marple rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a story that will be particularly appreciated by anyone who has tried to straddle more than one culture and finds themselves at home in both and neither.

Allen Say recounts his grandfather’s life in America and his Japanese homeland. This is a large book and it opens with a portrait of Say’s grandfather in traditional Japanese dress, transitioning to him in European dress on page two, aboard a steamboat for the USA. Each page has a large, subdued illustration of new experiences; vast coas...more

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Nov 03, 2011 Maria rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is definitely an interesting children's picture book. I like the fact that story involves four generations of Japanese families, it uses very simple language, and the illustrations are highly artistic. I am glad I choose this story to comment about because I connect to the story in three different ways, first as an immigrant, second as an admirer of the Japanese culture, and third because I also lived in California for ten years. I was born in Mexico and I came to this country as an adult....more

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Sep 05, 2011 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

“Grandfather’s Journey” by Allen Say, is one of my favorite children’s pictures. I tend to like simple children’s books with a deeper meaning behind them. The story is about his grandfather’s journey from Japan to United States which eventually leads him to California. Then his returned to Japan to marry his wife and bring her back to California. But then the longing to return home stayed with him so he decided to go back with his family including his grown-up daughter. The daughter eventually m...more

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Sep 04, 2011 Marissa Gloria rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed reading this book. I found it to be easy to follow and an interesting story. I had no idea what to expect because the cover and the back of the book are bare so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. I liked the illustrations because they were very simple but still said a lot at the same time and used lots of colors. They made it very easy for the reader to visualize what was happening throughout the story. I also think they helped to keep me interested in what was going on. I wanted to...more

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Feb 05, 2011 529_Quincy Owens rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: week-4-asian-literature

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say tells the story of his grandfather who longed to travel the world. Allen’s grandfather leaves Japan for America or “the new world,” He shakes hands with “white,red, and yellow men” finally settling in California (San Francisco). Allen’s grandfather was never completely at peace whether he was in America or in Japan. He goes home to marry his childhood sweet heart and comes back to San Francisco to raise his daughter. In the end, Allen’s grandfather end’s up mov...more Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say tells the story of his grandfather who longed to travel the world. Allen’s grandfather leaves Japan for America or “the new world,” He shakes hands with “white,red, and yellow men” finally settling in California (San Francisco). Allen’s grandfather was never completely at peace whether he was in America or in Japan. He goes home to marry his childhood sweet heart and comes back to San Francisco to raise his daughter. In the end, Allen’s grandfather end’s up moving his entire family back to Japan but the same wonder lust is passed down to his grandson Allen.
The illustration’s background and sequence paint a stunning story even without reading the words. Allen’s grandfather is depicted wearing tradition Japanese garb on one page while on the next page he is seen in a full suit. Comparison between the two photos is unavoidable as they can both be viewed at the same time. Many of the illustrations backgrounds feature traditional American setting; wheat fields, industrial city, and the Sierra Mountains which evoke feelings of nostalgia. Illustrations like these would easily prompt debate on cultural identity and cultural convergence.
Allen’s grandfather seems to have developed a deep appreciation for both cultures without judgment or conflict. The book also touches on the destruction of Japan by America. After the destruction his grandfather did not keep anymore songbirds birds likely due to the fact that they reminded him to much of his village that was destroyed. Further discussion to could explore alternate reasons behind his lifestyle change.
As a teacher I would utilize this book to question whether or not adopting new cultural practices is detrimental to identity or whether it is necessary in order for someone to realize who they really are. I think many people particularly minorities are grappling with this question and only through open dialogue can we hope to achieve some understanding.
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Jan 31, 2011 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: asian-american-rll-528, picture-books

I really loved this book. Simple, concise prose and gorgeous illustrations tell the story of the author’s grandfather’s life between Japan and the United States. Say’s award-winning illustrations have the soft coloring and style of old photos, which lend to the theme of a nostalgic look at Say’s own history, beginning with his Grandfather’s journey to America in the early part of the 20th century. This would be a wonderful inclusion to an author study of Allen Say as an important author and illu...more

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Jan 29, 2011 Leane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: asian-asian-american, caldecott, multicultural, picture-books, wishlist

"Grandfather's Journey" is a Caldecott-Award winning picture book from Allen Say. It is a cross cultural experience for readers as they learn what it is like to have the desire to be in two places at once. Say based the book on the experiences of his grandfather, who was born in Japan and moved to the United States, wearing English clothing, to explore the country and its people. He meets people from all different walks of life and is amazed by the beauty of the country, from the mountains to th...more "Grandfather's Journey" is a Caldecott-Award winning picture book from Allen Say. It is a cross cultural experience for readers as they learn what it is like to have the desire to be in two places at once. Say based the book on the experiences of his grandfather, who was born in Japan and moved to the United States, wearing English clothing, to explore the country and its people. He meets people from all different walks of life and is amazed by the beauty of the country, from the mountains to the plains to the rivers. Later, Say's grandfather returns to Japan, marries his childhood sweetheart, and returns to the U.S. to live. They have a daughter, and Say cleverly uses the same picture of the daughter on page 17 that was used in the title page of this book's sister, "Tea With Milk". Say's grandfather eventually returns to Japan because he misses his homeland, bringing his almost grown daughter with him, which leads right into "Tea With Milk" and her experiences. I'm glad that I read both stories back-to-back, because I was so confused as to why May's parents would make her move to Japan and take her away from everything she has known and completely change her life. Now I understand that Say's grandfather was not doing it with her in mind, but because he missed Japan so much. Overtime, he longs to go back to the U.S. for a trip, but is never able to return.

Allen Say was born in Japan and moved to the United States at age sixteen. He says that he understands his grandfather so much more now and his longing to be in one country, then the other as he goes back and forth. It is so interesting to me, this concept of belonging to two places and loving a place so much that you are simply drawn to it. Growing up in the United States and not completely knowing my racial background, I really feel nothing for my European roots. I am American, and I love America, but I wish that I had somewhere else in the world that I loved, not because it's a great vacation spot, but because it's my other home.

This story obviously has beautiful illustrations and is a must-have book for your school library or classroom multicultural collection. Use this book as a read-aloud and discuss with students if they have had any similar experiences as Say.(less)

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Jan 28, 2011 Celeste rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: multicultural

The story, Grandfather's Journey,is a wonderful book in both its illustrations and story. This young man who leaves his homeland in Japan to travel to America, falls in love with the country and its beautiful sights. He begins to miss his homeland and decides to travel back to Japan to see all the beautiful sights he has missed and to marry his sweetheart. Later on, he begins to miss his second home of California and takes his wife and child to America to live. When his daughter is grown, she le...more

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Dec 08, 2010 Chris Murray rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: picture-books

Say, Allen. Grandfather’s Journey (1993)
Grandfather’s Journey is a story based on Allen Say’s grandfather’s immigration from Japan to the United States as a young boy. After traveling through the country marveling at the sights and meeting many new people, the grandfather settles in San Francisco where he begins his new life in America. He returns to Japan to marry then brings his wife back to San Francisco where they raise a daughter. Eventually he becomes homesick for the land of his youth, an...more

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