Gigi and Ojiji: Food for Thought

Written & illustrated by Melissa Iwai

Part of the Gigi and Ojiji series

Gigi faces a breakfast dilemma: peanut butter or natto? Can she embrace a new taste?

4.0/5 Goodreads · 77 ratings

32 pages· 514 words· Est. 4 min read-aloud

$17.99Save 6%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Gigi loves her peanut butter toast, but her grandfather, Ojiji, prefers natto, a traditional Japanese dish. As Gigi navigates this culinary clash, she must decide if she's ready to embrace a new breakfast experience. Will Gigi's taste buds expand, or will she stick to her favorite? This charming tale explores intergenerational bonds and the courage to try new things, all while celebrating Japanese culture. Join Gigi on her flavorful journey and discover if she can find common ground with Ojiji over breakfast.

From the publisher

A Geisel Honor-winning series! Join Gigi as she tries natto, a traditional Japanese food, in this exciting and engaging Level Three I Can Read book by acclaimed author and illustrator Melissa Iwai. Intergenerational relationships, Japanese culture, and social and emotional learning are highlighted in this sweet biracial story, perfect for sharing with children 3 to 6. Ohayo! It’s breakfast time and Gigi can’t wait to make her favorite meal–Peanut Butter Toast. Yummy! But Ojiji doesn’t like peanut butter. How can anyone NOT like peanut butter? Ojiji prefers Japanese foods–like natto, made from fermented soybeans. Will Gigi learn to love a new breakfast treat? This story highlights the close relationship of Gigi and her grandfather and the importance of trying new things!This exciting and engaging 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 Ojij: Food for Thought 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.” –KirkusA 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)

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