This is a really lovely book about what poetry is and how it comes to be. It shows a beautiful balance between how poems can come from both within and outside of oneself, as well as how they can explore a variety of topics ranging from emotions, observations, explorations, and desires (or even of mix of these things). The illustrations aren't anything immediately stunning, but they fit the quiet, everydayness of the story very well! ( )

This is a charming picture book about a grandfather teaching his grandson to write haiku during a walk through the city. Through his grandfather Eto's poems, Kiyoshi discovers that poems come from things we see, things we hear, things we imagine, and things we feel. They are a way to bring the world and our hearts together. Nicole Wong's illustrations are filled with angles and curves, and she plays with light and shadow to give an architectural feel to the story. The final poem, written by Kiyoshi, is a bittersweet closing to the touching bond between him and his grandfather.

Kiyoshi’s walk is a beautiful story about a boy and his grandfather. The boy, Kiyoshi, sees his grandfather writing poetry and wishes he could do the same. Kiyoshi asks his grandfather where poems come from. His grandfather, Eto, takes him on a walk to show him. The two of them stop at several places along the way including a market, an abandoned house, and the park. Throughout the walk, Eto stops at times and creates haikus. Kiyoshi realizes that poetry is created using your senses, your imagination, and your feelings. He learns that he too is capable of creating poetry. There is an author’s note that explains a bit about the history of haikus which many readers will find interesting.

Kiyoshi, after watching his grandfather Eto compose Haikus, wishes he could create poems too, and asks where poems come from. Eto decides to show him where his ideas come from, and takes Kiyoshi on a walk.

As they proceed, Kiyoshi learns what contributes to Eto’s poems: seeing, listening, imagining what isn’t seen or heard, and feelings. Accompanying each insight is a Haiku that Eto composes, and at the end, one Kiyoshi makes himself. What Kiyoshi learns is “in everything there was a poem: the faces of the people, the sound of the river, the moon breaking from the clouds.”

At the end of the book, an Author’s Note explains what a Haiku is and how to create one.

Illustrator Nicole Wong uses warm tones to show the neighborhood in which Kiyoshi and Eto walk and draw inspiration. She includes many details to show objects that could contribute ideas for their poems.

Evaluation: This lovely story serves as an excellent guide not just to the creation of poetry but to the benefits of close observation generally, and how many insights can come from paying attention to the world around you. ( )