Quick Booktalk
Jyoti, who lives in America, travels to visit her grandmother in India. When the visit ends, it's hard to say goodbye, so her grandmother teaches her the words that Tamil-speaking people use instead of goodbye, which translate as "I'll go and come back."
About the Illustrations
The pictures mostly depict Jyoti and her grandmother against a white background. Only a couple of scenes - in the airport, and on the street in India - take up a full spread. It would have been nice to see more of the differences between Jyoti's home and her grandmother's turn up in the pictures. There is a warmth and cheerfulness to each of the figures in the pictures that really highlight the loving relationship between grandmother and granddaughter. Their connection to each other is something all readers can relate to, and it helps give this story set within a specific culture universal appeal as well.
Story Time Possibilities
The obvious story time theme for this book would be grandparents, but it would also work for things like travel, "around the world," India, Mother's Day, and/or a hello and goodbye theme. Some of the pictures are a bit tiny and might be hard to see, but for most average-sized story time audiences they should be fine.
Readers Advisory
Sara Palacios also illustrated My Day with the Panye by Tami Charles and A Song of Frutas by Margarita Engle, and it would be fun to read these titles together and discuss the different cultures depicted. I think it would also pair nicely with I Really Want to See You Grandma by Taro Gomi.
Disclosure
I received a finished review copy of I'll Go and Come Back from Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review.
