Grandmother
from the East Grandmother from the West is the kind of picture book I wish I had access to
when I was a kid, daughter of mixed cultures and parents, growing up in an
Australia that didn’t quite feel like my true home but was more home than where either
of my grandmothers came from.
Like the little plaited girl in this story, one of my grandmothers had blue eyes. One with brown eyes. From this simple distinction, Liu’s narrative commits to a pleasing rhythm of comparative traits, ideologies and natures that highlight the little girl’s grandmothers; one from the East, and one from the West.
Specifics
of each grandmother are not laboured on. It’s enough to know that one makes
dumplings, and one bakes bread. These differences extend to each grandmother’s
characteristics and varying pasts. Cultural diversity is hinted at through
comparisons of each woman’s horoscope be it western orientated astrology or the
signs of the Chinese zodiac.
Illustrations
appear in countering tones to elicit divergent emotions and contrasting
backgrounds. Splashes and smudges of colour maintain two parallel visual narratives,
animating small eyes and minds, creating anticipation for the next vivid comparison.
Through
exchanges and interactions with each of her grandmothers, the girl gains
emotional and cultural insight and clarity resulting in an assured wisdom and a
special type of understanding. The kind that allows one to welcome, accept and
love one’s sense of self. In other words, this story fosters a deep sense of self-awareness
through ancestorial makeup and appreciation.
Even
if the reader is not from a multi-cultural family (and who in reality isn’t),
this beautifully rendered story facilitates understanding and tolerance in the
most subtle and powerful of ways.
Title: Grandmother From The
East Grandmother From the West
Author: Jacinta Liu
Illustrator: Freda Chiu
Publisher: Hachette Australian, $24.99
Publication Date: 26 March 2025
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780734421791
For ages: 4 – 8
Type: Picture Book
