When I Found Grandma

April 15, 2019
A child named Maya is curious about her grandmother, who lives far away. When Grandma arrives for a visit, she isn’t what Maya had expected: she dresses in “fancy clothes” (a sari), brings a tray of treats (Maya prefers cupcakes), and rings prayer bells (which Maya hides). But her grandmother agrees to forgo a temple visit for a trip to an island fair, where she wears a casual pair of pants, buys an “all-American hat” on the boardwalk, and finds Maya when she gets lost looking for the carousel. Maya, in turn, tries her grandma’s rice with cashews and grows to love the sound of her bells. Leng presents each interaction between Maya and her grandmother in hushed yet expressive ink-and-watercolor art. Discovering and embracing differences leads to stronger bonds between family members, Balasubramaniam asserts in this subtle, heartfelt story. Ages 4–7.

January 15, 2019
An assimilated child of the Indian diaspora finds herself culturally challenged when her grandmother visits her family in North America.Maya misses her grandmother and wishes she would visit rather than sending her postcards from many miles away. A few weeks later, Maya has a special surprise waiting for her: Grandma has come to visit! But Maya's excitement doesn't last long. Maya prefers cupcakes to her grandmother's homemade sweets; when her grandmother visits her school, she is embarrassed by Grandma's sari and her loud voice; most of all, Maya does not like it when her Grandma calls her "Mayalakshmi." The narrative comes to a head when Maya loses sight of her family during a trip to an amusement park, and she and her grandmother find each other in more ways than one. Balasubramaniam's honest first-person text and Leng's soft line-and-color illustrations--which deftly and sympathetically convey the intensity of Maya's feelings--explore familial love and the intricacies of cross-cultural and intergenerational relationships between very young children and their grandparents. Maya and her family are Indian and celebrate Holi; they live in a vibrant, diverse urban setting. The use of English names (Grandma, Mother, Father) may strike children like Maya as odd, but it is inclusive of a broad range of children with South Asian heritage. Sweet and honest. (Picture book. 4-7)

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March 15, 2019
Preschool-G Grandma, who lives thousands of miles away, arrives for a visit, but Maya has trouble warming up to her. When Grandma picks her up at school, Maya is embarrassed by her grandmother's sari and her voice loudly calling Mayalakshmi. Nothing seems to go well, and when a promised outing to an island amusement park is cancelled for a visit to the temple, Maya dissolves in tears. A quick conversation with Grandma brings a change of plans: the family heads for the island instead. After Maya and Grandma lose each other in the crowd, the girl comes to appreciate her relative's loud voice, soft whisper, and steadfast affection. East meets West in a picture book that recognizes a child's preference for what's familiar, the jolt of cultural differences, and the possibility of bridging those differences when there's goodwill on both sides. Recognizing both points of view, the writer tells her story with a light touch and a wry sense of humor, which are reflected in the lively ink-and-watercolor illustrations. A Canadian picture book with broad appeal.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)