I Really Want to See You, Grandma

March 15, 2018
Yumi and Grandma leave their separate houses to see each other at the same time, but they keep missing each other in this book first published in Japan in 1979 but only now being published in the United States.Yumi decides she wants to visit Grandma at the same time Grandma decides to go see Yumi. They both leave their respective homes happy. While Yumi takes a bus alone, Grandma takes a train. When they arrive at their destinations, they realize their mix-up and head back to their homes. Yumi gets a ride in a truck with an adult and a cow, while Grandma takes a taxi. After missing each other again, Yumi takes a scooter and Grandma rides a motorcycle. They finally spot each other and decide to meet under a big tree. Gomi's illustrations tell many details the text does not, placing Yumi's home in a suburb and Grandma's in a mountainous countryside. The simple backgrounds, painted in tans and browns, allow the characters (both brown-skinned) and modes of transportation to stand out on the page. The faces are simple, done in Gomi's trademark style, but the emotions are conveyed clearly and add to both humor and meaning. American readers may be taken aback when they realize that Yumi travels alone on the bus, in a truck with an unidentified adult, and on her scooter, an independence that may be less remarkable in the author/illustrator's Japanese culture.A book of warmhearted mix-ups, good for learning types of transportation and emotions. (Picture book. 3-6)

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April 1, 2018

PreS-Gr 2-In this simple comedy of errors, a little girl and her grandma both decide to pay each other a visit on the very same day. Yumi takes a bus, and Grandma takes a train. Careful observers will note that just as the train travels under the bridge, Yumi's bus travels over it. "Oh, no!" cries Grandma upon arriving at Yumi's house and learning that her granddaughter has gone to see her. The little girl is equally "surprised," and they both hurry back to their respective homes. Grandma hails a taxi while Yumi shares a ride with a cow on a truck only to find that they have once again missed each other. Eventually, they meet under a large tree, jump gleefully into each other's arms, and agree that next time, they will meet in this very spot. This simple tale of mixed-up connections celebrates the special love between a grandparent and grandchild. Young readers will experience the pair's urgency, frustration, and joy as all's well that ends well. Gomi's signature art features childlike characters in a palette of browns highlighted by pink, orange, and other hints of color on a white background. The front endpapers feature Yumi's scooter; the back, Grandma's motorbike. VERDICT A perfect choice for units on transportation or family or to share on Grandparents' Day.-Barbara Auerbach, formerly at New York City Public Schools

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 7, 2018
Japanese author-illustrator Gomi (Bus Stops) imagines a transportation mix-up in which two journeys intersect in fun and serendipitous ways. Yumi lives on a hilltop, and Grandma lives across town, on a mountaintop. Impulsively, they both set out to visit each other on the same day. Yumiâs bus drives over the bridge just as Grandmaâs train travels underneath it. Arriving at their destinations, they immediately discover their crossed paths. âOh, no!â Yumi cries. But they meet, eventually, in the middle. The bookâs short, wide trim size contributes plenty of space for the landscapes to unfold, and Gomiâs saturated colors have jewel-like tones; the richly textured watercolor washes in simple shapes have the soft look of fabric. Thereâs gentle comedy in the big, obvious gestures of the neighbors who help explain the situation to Yumi and Grandma, and the different forms of transportation add interest. Unspoken, but also gratifying, is the idea of a place in which a small child can set out alone to see her Grandma in perfect safety. Ages 3â5.

March 15, 2018
Preschool-K Yumi's home is on a hilltop, and her grandmother lives on a nearby mountain. One day, Yumi decides to visit Grandma. She boards the bus to Grandma's house. Meanwhile, Grandma decides to visit Yumi. She boards a train to Yumi's house. When Yumi arrives, Grandma is gone. When Grandma arrives, Yumi is gone. Oh no! Each immediately goes home, only to find that the other has left. Oh no! Now Yumi rides back on her scooter, and Grandma rides back on her motorcycle until they meet along the road. Joy! Simply told, the parallel story creates increasing tension as the characters are foiled and foiled again. Gomi turns an unpretentious concept into a satisfying picture book. With many landscapes and road scenes, the paintings make good use of the book's horizontal format, sometimes showing the two main characters simultaneously as they travel back and forth. The deep, rich colors show up well against the white sky, which serves as a background for the text. Children and adults alike will smile at the happy ending.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)