Tea with Milk

Rating:
Summary: She is me
Review: I had the occasion to see the original of the cover painting. A needle shot through my heart. I am a Japanese citizen, my mother tongue definitely Japanese, but I was brought up in the States until I was 9. When I came back, I was just so occupied to adapt and didn't realize that I was considerably lonely and uncomfortable. Worse, my parents' did not realize the fact that Japan was a new place for me, since for them, it had been their home land. Living in different places on the globe accordingly to my father's work did not end with this; we went as far as South Africa. I am now permanently in Japan, having living here for almost 15 years, but still cannot say it is my home. And there still isn't any specific place that I can call "home". I like to believe in the notion of home and belonging presented in this book, and to be able to find the strength that the girl had in breaking her way out to live as "herself" and "make a home" for herself.

Rating:
Summary: Megan and Aarti's Beautiful Review
Review: I just read this book for the first time today and I was blown away by the illustrations. The story is not only touching and very thought-provoking, as well as true, but the illustration bring to the story a totally fresh and realistic view. Mr. Say is both a talented author and illustrator. I was so captivated by the realism in the drawings and the detail that is paid to the face of the main character, who you come to find out is in some way related to him (I don't want to spoil the whole story, even if it is just a children's book). By far this book is a great read and an excellent buy!

Rating:
Summary: Biased, discriminating, and unflattering view of Japan
Review: Some people probably enjoy the story of a young girl standing up to what is presented to readers as a bizarre and repressive culture. However the book offers a biased, discriminating, and unflattering picture of life in Japan from the point of view of a young woman who was raised in America and apparently resents having been forced to move. She makes no effort to understand the cultural differences between the countries and completely fails to acknowledge the things that make Japan fascinating. Another reader concluded that May and Joseph finally "decide to make a home for themselves and adopt Japan by choice". The truth is they never adopted Japan but decided to stay there anyway.

Having lived in Japan for most of my adult life, I was quite shocked when my daughter brought this book home from school. She was born in Tokyo and we were living there until recently. Pretty pictures do not compensate for a story that misrepresents Japanese culture and glorifies a narrow-minded girl.

Rating:
Summary: Megan and Aarti's Beautiful Review
Review: TEA WITH MILK is about a young girl who lives in San Fransisco.When she was a young lady she went to Japan with her parents.She did not like sitting on her legs.Soon her parents wanted her to date a bank loner and she did not want to.Then she went to the city in Japan.She got a job there and got married. We loved TEA WITH MILK. I hope we get that good like Allen Says books.They are very evocative.