Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Three generations of a Japanese American family pass down embodied wisdom in this tender seasonal tale authored by a father-daughter team. In spring, as young Midori walks with Dad and Jiichan through a peach orchard, Midori bites into a crunchy fruit. Jiichan, who advises that a peach is ripe "when it tastes like a story," compares the peaches to their ancestors' early years in America, as green-inked images depict their incarceration. When warmer temperatures turn the peaches--and scenes--yellow, Dad talks about how the family farm began. And in summer, as the images embrace warm oranges and pinks, Midori at last bites into a ripe peach that floods her with appreciation for her family's history. Tamaki's acrylic ink, graphite, and digital illustrations echo the spare beauty of the prose and fluid brushwork reminiscent of Japanese sumi-e. An author's note concludes. Ages 4--8. (Mar.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 4--A young girl named Midori asks her grandfather, or Jichan, if a peach is ripe, and what unfolds is an extended metaphor about family, history, and agriculture. Midori learns not only patience, but also where she belongs in her community. When Jichan dies, Midori applies the lessons he taught her and grasps that her own life, too, is part of a larger story. Strong themes of family and reverence for the earth are prevalent throughout. The tale touches briefly upon the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. It emphasizes the importance of being patient, yet also persistent and focused. The artwork blends focal points with backgrounds, memories, and emotions, resulting in an exciting interplay throughout the text. The sometimes-transparent characters are colored and enlivened by the objects and settings that shine through them. The illustrations of peaches and peach trees are gorgeous. An author's note covers the experience of Japanese Americans in more detail, tracing the origins and effects of anti-Asian racism in the U.S. Again, the emphasis is on the power of family, patience, and agriculture to survive hardship. VERDICT A strong celebration of the Japanese American experience, this story will appeal to children keen on family relationships and could be used in classroom units covering more agrarian lifestyles across cultures.--Benjamin Ludwig
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Review by Horn Book Review
"A peach, like a story, needs time to grow." Young Midori looks to her grandfather to instruct her about the peaches on their farm. She is impatient for them to ripen, but Jiichan tells her that "we have to wait." When green, peaches crunch unpleasantly; later, they are yellow but still feel too firm; finally, at summer's height, they are a deep golden color and smell sweet and "like the rich soil." Jiichan weaves a story about their family into his teachings, equating green peaches with their Japanese ancestors when they arrived in America ("Things weren't ready"), then describing how, despite adversity, they put down roots and thrived. Summer passes; Jiichan grows frail and, in winter, dies. Midori visits the cemetery, telling Jiichan that she understands now: "This peach is your story. This peach is our story." Tamaki's impressionistic mixed-media illustrations employ a palette that follows the seasons; the art evokes both setting and the close relationship between Midori and Jiichan exquisitely. Notable illustrations include one, in lush golds and greens, of the whole family working the peach harvest; another of bare trees, starkly black against a pale-blue sky, when they "say goodbye to Jiichan." Coauthor Nikiko Masumoto's endnote tells more about her family's California farm, which the book is based on, and discusses in detail experiences alluded to in the story, including racial hostility faced by her immigrant forebears and the WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans. Martha V. ParravanoMay/June 2025 p.66 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
"A peach, like a story, needs time to grow." Midori, a young Japanese American girl, strides into her family's orchard, followed by her Jiichan (Grandfather), to find ripe peaches. She takes a bite of one but…"crunch!" It's still too hard. Jiichan urges Midori to be patient: "You'll know it's ready when it tastes like a story." Jiichan likens green peaches to the family's ancestors when they first set foot in the United States: "Things weren't ready. They felt like strangers." Time goes by, and Midori picks up a yellow peach; it's firm but has a soft spot. Midori's father compares it to the family farm: "We [began] by planting roots in America in one spot." More time passes, and when Jiichan hands Midori another peach, she takes a juicy bite and detects the seeds of her family's efforts embodied in the sweet fruit. The seasons pass, and Jiichan dies. In his absence, Midori returns to the orchard, drawing on his guidance as she employs her senses and picks a peach that truly tastes like a story. Narrated in a mix of free verse and prose, the Masumotos' spare, haikulike text is simple yet laden with lush imagery. Using loose inky-black lines awash with vivid splashes of green, yellow, orange, and blue, Tamaki's gorgeous illustrations propel this quiet tale forward, evoking Midori's energy and curiosity. A mouthwatering gem to share with young gardeners everywhere. (authors' note)(Picture book. 4-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
