Review of Grandfather's Journey

Say, Allen. Grandfather's Journey. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1993.

Grandfather’s Journey is a story about a grandfather’s journey to America narrated from the perspective of his grandson. The story begins with his grandfather traveling from his homeland in Japan to America upon a steamboat. Once in America, his grandfather explored the New World and was amazed at its vast beauty. Out of every place he explored and visited, grandfather loved California best. Later his grandfather went back to Japan to marry his childhood sweetheart. The two moved to California and settling in San Francisco where their only daughter was born. When grandfather’s daughter (the narrator’s mother) was nearly grown, the family moved back to their home village in Japan. This is where the narrator’s mother fell in love, married, and had their son. The narrator’s favorite weekends were spent with his grandfather who would often tell his grandson several stories about California. His grandfather longed to see California one last time, but because of a devastating war, he never got the chance to return to America. When the narrator was nearly grown he moved across the Pacific Ocean and started a life and a family in California.

Allen Say certainly displays the struggles Asian-American immigrants feel when they leave their homeland behind and move to America. His portrayal of a character being torn between two countries accurately exemplifies the conflict many immigrants feel when moving to a new country. Therefore, many Asian-American’s could find this book relatable to their personal lives. Students reading this picture book could see that other Asian-Americans struggle with adjusting to a new culture. This story also expresses the importance of keeping one’s identity and the significance of a close-knit family. The main character always does what he believes is best for his family. Also, colorful and bold illustrations helped this picture book win a Caldecott Medal and are very appealing to young readers. All of these characteristics of Say’s picture book emphasize positive examples of Asian-American culture and make this story an excellent choice of diverse literature.