Yuki is excited as she rides her bike to Grandma's house because she has important news: her mother says she is now big enough to ride home by herself. But there are many things to do before evening comes. Yuki loves feeding turnip leaves to the koi in Grandma's pond and sharing her snack with seagulls. And when it gets too hot outside, Grandma and Yuki sit in the shade of the porch and create origami animals. After a dinner of Yuki's favorite soup, she and Grandma, accompanied by Biscuit the dog, Milk the cat, and Ribbon the bird, watch the sun set over the lake. " 'You know,' said Grandma, 'when your mom was your age, we would come down here and listen to the night music.' Yuki closed her eyes and listened. The trees rustled. The waves lapped the shore. And a fish splashed in the water, sprinkling Yuki and Grandma." When Yuki opens her eyes, the spell is broken -- it has become foggy and the little girl realizes she must hurry home. She is frightened, and her grandmother asks her if she would like to take her pets along for the ride. But as she begins pedaling, Yuki thinks that she will have her mother to tuck her in--but Grandma will be all alone. What can Yuki do?
Manya Tessler's story about a little girl's glorious day with her grandmother, set in contemporary Japan, is a textual and visual delight. The warm illustrations portray the closeness between grandmother and granddaughter, and the birds-eye view pictures put the landscape into wonderful perspective. Any child who has ever lacked confidence or felt fear will be buoyed by Yuki's story. A perfect read-aloud for bedtime or any other occasion, kids will also enjoy reading this treasure on their own. Ages 4-7 32 pages
Recommended by Barbara Karp, Librarian.
