Product Description
Gigi wants to go by something besides her baby name—but her full name, Geraldine, is too long to write and Hanako, her middle name, doesn’t feel quite right. Will Gigi find the perfect name?
This exciting new I Can Read series is brought to you by author-illustrator Melissa Iwai, whose popular books include Soup Day and Dumplings for Lili.
Gigi and Ojiji: What’s Iin a Name? is a Level Three I Can Read book. Level 3 includes many fun subjects kids love to read about on their own. Themes include friendship, adventure, historical fiction, and science. Level 3 books are written for early independent readers. They include some challenging words and more complex themes and stories. The story contains several Japanese words and a glossary of definitions.
Praise for Gigi and Ojiji:
"Gigi crafts her Japanese American identity in this enchanting early reader. The cuteness, inclusivity, and cross-cultural problem-solving represented will have young readers coming back again and again. A must-buy." —School Library Journal (starred review)
"The text is well supported by the endearing illustrations, which capture all of Gigi’s big emotions and depict her as a biracial child, with a white father and Japanese mother." —Booklist (starred review)
"An affirming option in the quickly diversifying field of early-reader books." —Kirkus
From School Library Journal
Gr 1-3-This follow-up to the star-spangled Gigi and Ojiji is similarly nuanced and engaging for newly independent readers. Gigi, a Japanese American girl, lives with her parents and Ojiji, her Japanese grandpa. Gigi learns that her full given name is Geraldine, and that her Japanese name is Hanako. After experimenting with writing and being called these more formal names, Gigi doesn't recognize the names when they are used to get her attention. Gigi is in a real conundrum, because Hanako is the most easily pronounceable name for Ojiji, and her relationship with her grandfather is important to her. It takes Ojiji's observation that "Gigi" fits her best for this relatable problem to be solved. Gigi's problem will resonate with young readers of different ethnicities who have multiple names and will inform readers who have not faced this to understand this cultural difference. The dialogue and inner narration mean readers need to note when conversations are being held aloud and when Gigi is thinking to herself. The adorable images will help readers understand the three to seven lines per page. The image of Ojiji teaching Gigi how to write "Hanako" in Japanese script will be captivating for young readers. A short glossary in the back provides a handy review and invites readers to enjoy the book again. The diversity of the people in public places is a small, but important, aspect of representation. VERDICT This important book will diversify collections for newly independent readers. A must buy.-Jamie Winchellα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
About the Author
Melissa Iwai is a children's book author and illustrator who incorporates both traditional and digital media into her art. Her picture books include Dumplings for Lili, The Stray and the Strangers, I’ll Hug You More, My Snow Globe, Let’s Go to the Hardware Store, Truck Stop, Soup Day series, Night Shift Daddy, Thirty Minutes Over Oregon, and many more. When she's not working, Melissa loves to cook and develop her own recipes. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and son.
