When I Visited Grandma (2024) follows Maya, a spunky little girl in ripped blue jeans, who is visiting her grandmother in India.
They head out to the bustling streets, first, to buy a fresh coconut for its milk. They visit the local open-air markets, with the fruits, vegetables, spices, and other goods.
Neighbors and friends stop by with good eats and sweets in honor of Maya’s visit.
Meanwhile, Maya hears snippets that suggest that her grandmother’s health may not be that strong.
And suddenly, there is news that Grandma is in the hospital. Snippets of adult world intrude on the adventuresome dreamworld of children, in When I Visited Grandma (2024). Maya’s approach to the world is to pray but also to look into the world with hope.
In short order, the trip is over. Maya has returned to her home in the West.
The multi-generational connections have been made.
There has been something learned about aging and the frailties that come with that territory.
The taste of foods of the sub-continent is more familiar.
And perhaps this will be a first successful trip of many.
This picture book was written by Saumiya Balasubramaniam, and it was evocatively illustrated by Kavita Ramchandran, with lush colors and picturesque forms. This book evokes the humanity of the characters with power, and it shows glimpses of India in beautiful light.
Shalin Hai-Jew has worked in higher education for many years. She has edited dozens of nonfiction educational books and authored a dozen with a number of publishers.
