This exciting new I Can Read series is brought to you by author-illustrator Melissa Iwai, whose popular books include Soup Day and Dumplings for Lili.
Gigi and Ojiji: What's in a Name? is a Level Three I Can Read book. Level 3 includes many fun subjects kids love to read about on their own. Themes include friendship, adventure, historical fiction, and science. Level 3 books are written for early independent readers. They include some challenging words and more complex themes and stories. The story contains several Japanese words and a glossary of definitions.
Praise for Gigi and Ojiji:
"Gigi crafts her Japanese American identity in this -enchanting early reader. The cuteness, inclusivity, and cross-cultural problem-solving represented will have young -readers coming back again and again. A must-buy." --School Library Journal (starred review)
"The text is well supported by the endearing illustrations, which capture all of Gigi's big emotions and depict her as a biracial child, with a white father and Japanese mother." --ALA Booklist (starred review)
"An affirming option in the quickly diversifying field of early-reader books." --Kirkus Reviews
A 2023 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor title
El día de los niños, el día de los libros selection 2023
ALSC Notable 2023
CBC Teacher and Librarian Favorites Award 2023
A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year in the 5-9 beginning reader category (2023)
A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best
A CCBC 2024 Choices for the Books for Beginning Readers category!