Gigi and Ojiji
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"The text is well supported by the endearing illustrations, which capture all of Gigiβs big emotions and depict her as a biracial child, with a white father and Japanese mother." βBooklist (starred review)
"An affirming option in the quickly diversifying field of early-reader books." βKirkus
Gigi, a biracial six-year-old girl, learns about her Japanese culture from her grandfather when he comes to visit. Perfect for social emotional learning.
Gigi canβt wait for her OjijiβJapanese grandpaβto move in. Gigi plans lots of things to do with him, like playing tag, reading books, and teaching Roscoe, the family dog, new tricks.
But her plans donβt work out quite the way sheβd hoped. And her grandpa doesnβt seem to like Roscoe. Will Gigi find a way to connect with her Ojiji?
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 OjijiΒ is a Level Three I Can Read book.Β 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 and pronunciations.
Acclaim for Gigi and Ojiji:
A 2023 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor title
El dΓa de los niΓ±os, el dΓa de los libros selection 2023
ALSC Notable 2023
CBC Teacher and Librarian Favorites Award 2023
A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year in the 5-9 beginning reader category! (2023)
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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, Soup Day, Pizza Day, Chanukah Lights Everywhere, My Snow Globe, Letβs Go to the Hardware Store, Thirty Minutes Over Oregon, and many more! She is also the author and illustrator of the Geisel Honor I Can Read series Gigi and Ojiji. When she's not working, Melissa loves to cook and develop her own recipes. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and son.
