Ojiichan's Gift

April 1, 2019

PreS-Gr 2-When Mayumi is born, her grandfather creates a traditional Japanese rock garden for her to enjoy during her bicultural family's summertime visits to Japan. Over time, he teaches her how to tend the intricate landscape and rake the sand into pleasing patterns. As Mayumi grows, her aging grandfather becomes unable to care for his home and the family is faced with the reality that he will have to move to more suitable accommodations. At first, this unwelcome change angers Mayumi. Any reader who has had to adjust to bad news will relate to her furious attempts to move one of the garden's unmovable boulders. Ultimately, she processes her grief by creating a small, portable garden in a box for her grandfather to take to his new home, returning the gesture he made for her so long ago. This tender depiction of the special relationship between a grandparent and grandchild will resonate with young readers and adults alike. Therapeutic without being heavy-handed, Mayumi's story gently reassures us that although we can't always change the outcome, we can ease a difficult transition with compassion and resourcefulness. Beautifully textured watercolor illustrations are at once soft and vivid, adding to the warmth and emotional depth of the story. A brief glossary is included at the end of the book to guide readers through the Japanese terms woven into the text. VERDICT This title is a solid purchase for picture book collections, especially where stories about processing emotions are needed.-Allison Tran, Mission Viejo Library, CA

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from February 15, 2019
A young girl finds a new way to stay connected to her ojiichan, or grandfather.When Mayumi van Horton was born, her ojiichan in Japan built her a garden. Instead of flowers, "Ojiichan had made the garden out of stones--big ones, little ones and ones in between." The gently flowing narration continues as watercolors illustrate how Mayumi grows between each summer visit with Ojiichan. Mayumi also gains insight as they care for the garden together. As a toddler she learns "that moss on a rock was a gift of time." As a school-aged child she learns "that clipping shrubs to look like clouds was the best of all reasons to prune." But later Mayumi notices that Ojiichan's house, once full of life and luster, is now "dusty and dull" and the garden "left alone." Realizing she is powerless to meet Ojiichan's changing needs, she directs her frustrations on their once fastidiously maintained garden, kicking and "spraying gravel everywhere." Eventually she finds solace in creatively preserving their beloved project, cementing their bond despite the impending transition. Simms' paintings capture the spirit of the quiet yet emotionally layered text, providing colorful patterns atop simple shapes and compositions. The result is an understated story that delivers a powerful message of love. Mayumi is biracial, with a white father and Japanese mother.Like a garden, this meticulously composed work will bring readers serenity and joy. (Picture book. 4-8)

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April 15, 2019
Preschool-G Every summer, when Mayumi visits her grandfather in Japan, she enjoys the garden he created for her beside his home. Trees, bushes, and bamboo surround the open space, where dark rocks resemble mountains rising from a bed of light-colored gravel. Together, they pull weeds and rake the gravel into patterns. Afterwards, they sit there, quiet and happy. But one summer, grandfather is no longer able to live in his home. Angry, Mayumi tries to topple the garden's largest rock, but she cannot. Later, she recreates the garden in a box and gives it to Ojiichan, and back home, she makes another for herself. An appended glossary defines the few Japanese words appearing in the text. Partly inspired by the author's father, a traditional Japanese landscaper and gardener, this understated story communicates the power of an intergenerational bond, first expressed by the making of the garden and later affirmed by Mayumi's gift to her grandfather. The watercolor illustrations, which often feature the garden, capture the characters' emotions with clarity and finesse. A rewarding Canadian picture book.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2019
Mayumi's grandfather, who lives "halfway around the world" in Japan, builds a stone and gravel garden that the two can enjoy when she visits each summer. Simms's watercolor illustrations in soft, earthy tones show Mayumi and Ojiichan growing older--until eventually Ojiichan can no longer live alone and must leave the garden. Uegaki presents a quiet look at traditions, change, and the special relationship between grandparents and children. Glos.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2019
Mayumi's grandfather (Ojiichan), who lives nearly halfway around the world in Japan, builds a special garden that they can enjoy working in together when she visits each summer. Unlike the gardens she knows from home with flowers and vegetables, this garden is made of stones and gravel. The watercolor illustrations in soft, earthy tones show the passage of time as Mayumi grows older and becomes more adept at working in the garden. The lines and patterns she rakes through the gravel and around the trees create a soothing page layout. Eventually Mayumi and her parents accept that Ojiichan can no longer live alone and that he will have to leave his home and garden behind. In sadness and frustration, Mayumi finds solace in the garden one last time, which ultimately brings her the idea of collecting a small version of the garden in a lacquered bento box that can travel with Ojiichan. This is a quiet look at rich traditions, change, and the special relationships between grandparents and children. A few Japanese words used in the book are defined in the back. julie roach

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)