Grandfather's Journey (Caldecott Medal Book)
 

Grandfather's Journey (Caldecott Medal Book)

by Allen Say

Through compelling reminiscences of his grandfather's life in America and Japan, Allen Say gives us a poignant acount of a family's unique cross-cultural experience. He warmly conveys his own love for his two countries, and the strong and constant desire to be in both places at once. (read review)

Top tags: picture bookcaldecottfictionimmigrantsjapan (all tags)

 

Member Reviews

  • Poly Khan
    • Rated 0 stars

    It is about a young man who leaves his homeland in Japan to travel to America. He falls in love with the country and its beautiful sights. But when he begins to miss his homeland, he decides to travel back to Japan to see all the beautiful sights he has missed and to marry his sweetheart. Later on, he comes back to American and raises his daughter. After the man dies, his daughter goes back to Japan and raise a family of her own (she has a son). When her son grows up, he writes this story and travels to America to understand how his grandfather felt about his beloved journeys.


    Reason I chose this book: I really like this book because I could relate to it. When I moved to the US, I was also an immigrant, so I have a connection there with the grandfather in the story. The overall book demonstrates multicultural, and I plan to focus that in my future classroom because it’s very important to teach students to accept others.


    Use in the classroom: There are so many uses of this book! This book can be integrated with social studies, reading, writing and even math! One way I would use this book is by having students read this story in groups of 4 (each student will take turn reading). Then, they would have to examine how the Japanese culture is (shown in the book) different from American culture and create a visual about it.

    Poly Khan wrote this review yesterday. ( reply | permalink )
  • Nesrine R
    • Rated 5 stars

    He finds that of all the places he has seen, he likes coastal California best because of the beautiful Sierra Mountains. Eventually, he returns home to Japan and marries his childhood sweetheart. The young man takes his new bride across the sea and they settle in the state of California, where they have a daughter. As he watches his daughter grow up, the man is filled with nostalgia for his own childhood. He eventually decides to take his family back to Japan when his daughter is nearly grown up.
    Reason I choose this book: This book is great because it is written in the grand son’s point of view. The book discusses the topic of being homesick and where home is for some people. In my opinion the book really captures the idea of feeling at home and discusses how people are always trying to determine where home is. Also how people pick places to live because they remind them of home.
    Use in the classroom: Ask students how people travel, where some students traveled from, and why people travel. I would like to create a lesson or unit on locations and on where my students call home. Have students describe where they call home and why.


    Nesrine R wrote this review 2 days ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Kristen H
    • Rated 5 stars

    Summary: Grandfather's Journey, by Allen Say, is written from the grandson's perspective about the life of his grandfather. The grandfather travels back and forth between Japan and California, often longing for his previous home. His grandfather eventually settles in Japan, and after his death, the grandson travels to California and recognizes the similiar feeling of longing for home.

    Reason I chose this book: I really enjoyed reading this book in our bilingual education course because it helped me to better understand ELL students. I think it can help native English speakers to better understand the ELL students in their classroom. It may also be a great text for ELL students to read because it is a simple picture book that can help and assist them with their learning of English.

    Use in the classroom: This book can be used in the classroom to better understand students that come from other place, whether it be within the United States or outside of it; it can be used as a relational tool. The students can write text-to-self connections, as I'm sure many students have often felt that longing for home. The students can also write an advice column to help and assist a student that writes in asking for help adjusting to his new school and new friends.

    Kristen H wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • James F
    • Rated 5 stars

    Summary: This is a book about a man that travels to California and he falls in love with it. He goes back to Japan where he marries, but he misses California so much that he moves with his new bride to California. They move back to Japan, and never get to return. His grandson basically does the same thing eventually understanding what his grandfather felt.
    Reason I chose this book: This is a great story about how things are sometimes greener on the other side of the fence. I know that I lived in Australia, and have moved back. I have gone back to visit, and even now, I would like to live there again. It just has a personal connection.
    Use in the classroom: I would use this to demonstrate multiculturalism. I feel that this book discusses how the war affected someone’s reasoning for not coming to the United States. It also hints at the topic of immigration, and I would use that in a social studies lesson about human migration.

    James F wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Cristina B
    • Rated 0 stars

    A Japanese American man recounts his grandfather's journey to America which he later also undertakes, and the feelings of being torn by a love for two different countries. Beautiful illustrations.

    Cristina B wrote this review Thursday, June 12 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • jhcckkm
    • Rated 4 stars

    Nice story -- great illustrations! All around good book.

    jhcckkm wrote this review Wednesday, May 14 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • Felicia T
    • Rated 5 stars

    This book is about a man who travels from his home in Japan to California. He settles down in California, marries, and has a child. He loves his new life, but comes to really miss his home in Japan. He decides to move his family back, but his daughter grew up in California and really misses her other home. The story goes on depicting the conflict immigrant families face in having two homes, and being torn between the two. This is a great book to use in the classroom to create classroom unity. It's also a great read-aloud that many ELL students would be able to relate to easily. The familiarity of the story and their connection to it will help them adapt to their new school more easily.

    Felicia T wrote this review Sunday, April 13 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • Daniela E
    • Rated 4 stars

    Wonderful story, beautiful pictures.

    Daniela E wrote this review Friday, March 21 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • dinnerlove
    • Rated 2 stars

    I get why adults love this book; it certainly does seem like a collection staple, but I couldn't see any kid picking up this book and really, genuinely loving it. If you like history and geography and beautiful artwork. this book is for you. If you're five-years-old and like laughing and imagining, don't pick this one up.

    dinnerlove wrote this review Thursday, January 10 2008. ( reply | permalink )
Displaying 1-10 of 11 reviews
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