When I Found Grandma

This book is a multigenerational story about overcoming differences and discovering love, and I give it a rating of 4. I give it a 4 and not a 5 because the culture clash can be strong, and the end result can be confusing for kids. Balasubramaniam provides an organic growth of love and appreciation that is nurtured by time and shared memories. This gives kids the idea that family and love are very important, regardless if someone has a different culture value or belief. Overall, this book is about an assimilated child of the Indian culture who finds herself culturally challenged when her grandmother visits her family in North America. Maya, the child, misses her grandmother very much and wishes that she would visit her. As a few weeks show more go by, Maya’s grandmother gives her a surprise visit. Maya was very excited to see her grandmother, but this excitement only lasted a little bit of time. Her grandmother comes from a culture that speaks very loud and dresses very differently. Sometimes, to Maya, this can be embarrassing. The author of this book portrays a very big message that explores family love and the details of a cross-cultural relationship. This becomes an insightful story for children to read because it shows the importance of a grandchild to grandparent relationship. Their relationship evolves as the story goes on, and it shows a profound love between the both of them. They both experience generational differences and different cultures, but their ability to grow close regardless sends a positive message to young children who read this book. show less