I'll Go and Come Back: 05/19/22

I'll Go and Come Back by Rajani LaRocca and Sara Palacios (Illustrator) is a picture book about a girl and her grandmother. Though there is a bit of a language barrier and some cultural differences, they find ways to enjoy each other's company.

Jyoti lives in America. Her grandmother lives in India. On a trip to visit India, Jyoti feels left behind by her cousins but her grandmother calls her over. The two spend their days together, growing closer until it's time to go home.

At the midway point of the story, Jyoti shares the phrase that is the title of the book:

"Poitu variya?" asked Sita Pati. "Will you go and come?" "And I remembered that no one in India just said "Goodbye." "I'll go and come back," I said. "Poitu varen."

However, like in With Lots of Love by Jenny Torres Sanchez and Andres Ceolin (Illustrations) (2022), the second half of the picture book features the grandmother's visit to the states. Jyoti gets to share the things she loves about her home, including things like quesadillas which Sita Pati eats with chutney.

The book ends with the same exchange of goodbyes with the promise to go and come again. It's a sweet celebration of family, even when family is separated by distance, culture and language.

Five stars

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