Masako or May as her American friends call her, loves her tea the western way with milk. She was born and raised in San Francisco and had wished to go to college after high school. Her parents are homesick for their homeland of Japan, so they move back with Masako reluctantly following along. When they arrive, Masako is forced to repeat high school so she can “learn her own language.” Fellow students see her as a gaijin or foreigner. Masako learns the arts of a proper lady such as flower arranging, the tea ceremony, and calligraphy. May even endures a matchmaker’s attempt to marry her to a proper family. She is expected to trade her upbringing in America to conform into a proper Japanese lady. Missing America, she soon decides to move to the city of Osaka, where she soon realizes home is anywhere you want it to be. Say brings the story of his parent’s courtship and marriage to his readers. He tells the tale of his mother’s poignant journey of a woman of two cultures. He describes the parallel worlds many woman of two cultures face.

His watercolor paintings are exquisite. All the pages of the book are framed with  white borders making the book appear to be more like a photo album. Each picture leads the reader’s eye to Says mother May. Backgrounds were created with neutral colors and often times than not May is either wearing or holding the oldest boldest color in the painting.  An example of this is when Masako is depicted in the schoolyard. The background is a neutral brown shade and she is depicted holding a bright green book, the boldest color of the painting. An exception is when Masako and a young man are depicted sitting on a bench. The bright green background of trees highlights the awkward moment of these two young people put together by a matchmaker. May exclaims, “ I’d rather have a turtle than a husband!”

The settings vary from the front door of her home in America, traditional homes of Japan with paper walls, to the modern city of Osaka with its department stores and car filled streets. The cultural markers of food are depicted in May’s serving of tea to her father. She also mentions the missing of American foods. “There were no more pancakes or omelets, fried chicken or spaghetti.”  People are depicted in both modern and traditional clothing. Hairstyles vary from short cropped looks to long hair in buns for women. Most women are not depicted wearing hats. Only May and a western woman are depicted wearing hats outside of it being part of a uniform. There is a subtle difference in the shapes of the eyes of the Japanese depicted from round to almond shaped. An example is when she is shown with various businessmen. The Japanese in the picture have distinct eye shape differences. The photo-like paintings along with Say’s talented writing will be a delight to share with any group of children.