Grandfather's Journey
Grandfather's Journey is a picture book by the American - Japanese writer Allen Say . Say tells the story of his grandfather, who lived in both Japan and California and no matter where he was, he missed the other country. It has autobiographical features.
Grandfather's Journey was published on October 1, 1993 by the American publisher Houghton Mifflin in American , comprises 32 pages and has been translated into a total of four languages. Grandfather's Journey is the 15th book by Say and was awarded the Caldecott Medal for the most outstanding picture book of the year in 1994.
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In Grandfather's Journey, Say tells of the feeling of inner turmoil associated with the need to be in several places at the same time. The strongly autobiographical story begins with his grandfather's journey across the Pacific to North America. Dressed in Western clothing, he reached the unknown country, which he then traveled to by train, ship or on foot. He sees the desert with its fascinatingly shaped rocks, endless cornfields, towering mountains and clear rivers, but also the huge cities with the smoking factories. Say's grandfather meets a lot of people from different countries and the more he sees, the more he wants to travel. But he likes California best. He loves the power of the sun, the Sierra Mountains and the coast. After a while he returns to his native Japanese village to marry his childhood sweetheart and take her with him to North America. They move to San Francisco and soon have a daughter. As she gets older, Say's grandfather begins to think about his own childhood and his old friends. When his daughter is almost grown up, Say's grandfather returns to Japan with his family. He buys a house in a big city, falls in love there and gets married. Soon after, Allen Say himself is born. His grandfather tells him many stories about California and longs to see the country again. But then the Second World War breaks out and he can no longer realize his travel plans. His house is destroyed and Say's grandfather moves to the village where he grew up. He was never to see California again. But it is the fate of his grandson that at the age of sixteen he emigrates to the country that his grandfather loved so much.
Literary criticism
- "Elegantly honed text accompanies large, formally composed paintings ... The tranquility of the art and the powerfully controlled prose underscore the profundity of Say's themes." Publishers Weekly , October 25, 1993
- "In lucid, graceful language, he chronicles these passages, reflecting his love of both countries ... Lovely, quiet — with a tenderness and warmth new to this fine illustrator's work." - Kirkus Review , October 1, 1993
Nominations and Awards
| date | Nomination / award |
|---|---|
| 1994 | Caldecott Medal |
Public book presentations
The book was presented as an international premiere in the presence of the writer at the children's and youth program at the 16th Berlin International Literature Festival in September 2016.
Web links
- Original language publisher website for the book
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://www.hmhco.com/shop/books/Grandfathers-Journey/9780547076805
- ↑ http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecottwinners/caldecottmedal
- ↑ PW
- ↑ Kirkus Review
- ↑ http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecottwinners/caldecottmedal
- ↑ http://www.literaturfestival.com/kjl