Grandfather's Journey facts for kids
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| Author | Allen Say |
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| Illustrator | Allen Say |
| Country | United States |
| Genre | Children's picture book |
| Publisher | Houghton Mifflin |
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Publication date
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1993 |
| Pages | 32 |
| ISBN | 978-0-395-57035-7 |
| OCLC | 27810899 |
| [E] 20 | |
| LC Class | PZ7.S2744 Gr 1993 |
Grandfather's Journey is a beautiful picture book written and illustrated by Allen Say. It was published by Houghton Mifflin in 1993. This special book won the Caldecott Medal in 1994, which is a big award for amazing illustrations in children's books. The story is inspired by Allen Say's own grandfather's travels between Japan and the United States. It explores what it feels like to love two different places that you call home.
Contents
Discovering the World: A Grandfather's Journey
This heartwarming story follows a young man from Japan as he explores the world. He lives during the Meiji era, a time of great change in Japan. He decides to cross the huge Pacific Ocean to visit the United States.
From Japan to California: A New Home
As the young man travels across America, he sees many amazing places. Of all the spots he visits, he falls in love with the coast of California. He especially loves the beautiful Sierra Mountains there. Eventually, he decides to return home to Japan. He marries his childhood sweetheart, just as he always planned.
The young man then brings his new wife back across the sea to California. They settle down and start a family, welcoming a daughter into their lives. As he watches his daughter grow up, the man starts to feel a strong sense of nostalgia. He misses his own childhood home and the memories he made in Japan.
Returning Home: A Family's New Chapter
When his daughter is almost grown, the man decides it's time to move the family back to Japan. He is very happy to see his old friends again. However, his daughter has spent her whole life in a city. To make her happy, they move from his quiet hometown village to a nearby city.
His daughter eventually gets married and has a son. This son is the person who tells the story in the book. The young man from the beginning is now the "grandfather" of the story. He finds that even though he is back in Japan, he still misses California very much. He feels a deep connection to both places.
A Legacy of Love for Two Homes
The grandfather dreams of visiting California again with his grandson. Sadly, he never gets the chance to make this trip. This is because of World War II, a major global conflict that made travel very difficult and dangerous.
His grandson grows up and eventually makes the same journey his grandfather did. By traveling between Japan and California, the grandson truly understands his grandfather's feelings. He learns what it means to love two different places that you call home, just like his grandfather did. The story shows how these feelings can be passed down through generations.
