Gigi and Ojiji

Written & illustrated by Melissa Iwai

Part of the Gigi and Ojiji series

Gigi's plans with her grandpa go awry. Can they connect despite differences?

4.2/5 Goodreads · 355 ratings

32 pages· 590 words· Est. 5 min read-aloud

$17.99Save 6%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Six-year-old Gigi eagerly awaits her Japanese grandpa's arrival, planning fun activities like playing tag and teaching tricks to her dog, Roscoe. But when her plans falter and her grandpa seems distant, Gigi faces the challenge of bridging cultural and generational gaps. Can she find a way to bond with her Ojiji and embrace her heritage? This heartwarming tale explores family, identity, and the unexpected paths to connection, inviting young readers to discover the beauty of cross-cultural understanding.

From the publisher

“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.” –KirkusGigi, 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 can’t wait for her Ojiji–Japanese grandpa–to 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 don’t work out quite the way she’d hoped. And her grandpa doesn’t 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 Ojiji 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 and pronunciations.Acclaim for Gigi and Ojiji: A 2023 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor titleEl día de los niños, el día de los libros selection 2023ALSC Notable 2023CBC Teacher and Librarian Favorites Award 2023A Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year in the 5-9 beginning reader category! (2023)