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.)