The author writes about her parent’s unusual first meeting and secret courtship. When the subway train that Yoshiko is on breaks down, people stream out to catch the next train, except for the gaijin or foreigner. He’s an American soldier who is lost. She wants to speak to him, but knows that “good Japanese girls don’t speak to foreigners.” On the next train, the soldier attempts to speak to Yoshiko. This leads to a friendship that turns into a love for one another.

The author’s tale of bringing two worlds together is an invitation for readers to see how two cultures interact for the first time. Yoshiko soon learns that gaijins are not what she had expected or was told about. The two learn from each other’s cultures. Flem, the young soldier shows great respect for her culture, thus making their relationship a deeper one. His thoughtful approach of courtship and her acceptance of new ideas bring the characters together in a wonderful way.

The artwork is created by a printing method called color separation by Hong Kong Scanner Arts. Although the illustrations are done with a print technique, they appear as authentic watercolor paintings. The art portrays people of various ages in traditional and nontraditional clothing.The shade’s of people’s faces range from light beige to honey beige. Heights vary among the people illustrated. Flem is portrayed standing out from the crowd because of his height, uniform, and darker brown skin. While the Japanese are characterized with small broad noses, Flem’s is portrayed as being large and bulbous. The illustrator shows subtle differences in eye shape. Some people are shown with eyes slanting upwards or downwards and with wide or narrow shaped eyes. The faces of all the characters have a splash of pink on their cheeks.

The settings throughout the book vary. The city of Tokyo is shown with its busy streets and restaurants. Yoshiko is shown in more rural settings at her family’s home. She is dressed in traditional clothing at home and modern clothing while in the city. Their courtship is shown throughout the various seasons; spring, summer, and fall. The respect of family and ancestors are shown through the illustration of altars and large gatherings of extended family for meals. Little provides a wonderful surprise at the end of her book with a photograph of her parent’s marriage. This is the first children’s book I have read about interracial courtship and marriage. Little shows her parents as two people willing to go against social norms of two societies to be together. A wonderful book to share with all students.