In describing how his parents met, Say continues to explore the ways that differing cultures can harmonize; raised near San Francisco and known as May everywhere except at home, where she is Masako, the child who will grow up to be Say’s mother becomes a misfit when her family moves back to Japan. Rebelling against attempts to force her into the mold of a traditional Japanese woman, she leaves for Osaka, finds work as a department store translator, and meets Joseph, a Chinese businessman who not only speaks English, but prefers tea with milk and sugar, and persuades her that “home isn’t a place or a building that’s ready-made or waiting for you, in America or anywhere else.” Painted with characteristic control and restraint, Say’s illustrations, largely portraits, begin with a sepia view of a sullen child in a kimono, gradually take on distinct, subdued color, and end with a formal shot of the smiling young couple in Western dress. A stately cousin to Ina R. Friedman’s How My Parents Learned To Eat (1984), also illustrated by Say. (Picture book. 7-9)
Pub Date: April 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-395-90495-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1999
The author of Zachary’s Ball (2000) offers another tale of baseball dreams passing from one generation to another, grafted to atmospheric pencil illustrations that recall Chris Van Allsburg’s early work. An old Cubs uniform that young Oliver finds in his grandpa’s closet brings out a previously unheard story, about how, back in 1941, a teenager’s stickball play on the street outside Wrigley Field had earned an invitation to try out with the professional team. But then the war came, and a wound changed the course of that young player’s life. Still, observing that, “the game of baseball is more than just the players on the field,” Grandpa gives Oliver the jersey to wear, and both repair to their rooftop—situated across the very same street—to watch a game over Wrigley’s outfield wall. An intimate, poignant episode for fans who revel in the game’s less tangible aspects. (Picture book. 7-9)
Pub Date: March 1, 2004
ISBN: 0-7636-1852-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2004
Amato offers an early chapter book sure to entice reluctant readers and leave them laughing. Wilbur and Orville Riot (get it?), fifth- and third-graders, respectively, are brothers and best friends. They teach their schoolmates to be annoying in order to make money to put in the bank so they can have an excuse to be there to catch a crook. They invent contraptions, make up games, and create their own adventures. In these three stories they catch a thief, overthrow a king, and find a treasure. The bonus section includes the rules to their games, like “The Naked Mole Rat Game,” as well as “important things to be able to do with your face.” Amato’s stories are good-natured fun; the boys are never cruel, though they can be a little gross. Their mother, the principal of their school, appreciates their energy and humor. Long’s illustrations are an excellent addition. Hope for sequels. (Fiction. 7- 9)
Pub Date: April 1, 2004
ISBN: 0-8234-1750-6
Page Count: 151
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2004
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
