This is a truly charming picture book. It tells the story of Suki, a Japanese-American girl. On the first day of first grade, Suki wants to wear her kimono to school. Her sisters, however, tell her to wear something cool and not the kimono, fearing that other kids will think she's strange. But to Suki, the kimono holds great significance. It represents her grandmother and a festival they attended over the summer. She adores her kimono and firmly insists on wearing it to school.

Her sisters were somewhat right. When she arrives at school, other kids don't understand and think it's odd. Suki is even lightly bullied, with one kid calling her a bat. But Suki remains calm and serene, just as her grandmother taught her. Fortunately, the teacher, who is an eccentric dresser herself, seems kind and sympathetic. She asks the kids to share what they did over the summer. Suki explains the reason behind wearing the kimono and how her grandmother gave it to her and they went to a festival. She also liked the dancing and demonstrates the dance she saw to her classmates. As expected, the story has a happy ending.

I have a deep affection for Suki. She never wavers or has a moment of doubt. To her, the kimono is special, beautiful, and uniquely hers. Although it's improbable that a girl her age would wear a full kimono and geta (sandals), it's mentioned that this is a cotton kimono.

The illustrations, unfortunately, were a bit strange for me. I didn't like the way the people looked, and the illustrator failed to do justice to the beauty of a kimono. There's an art to putting it on and tying it that I believe the illustrator missed. The publisher should have sought a Japanese illustrator. Stéphane Jorisch is a French-speaking Canadian, while the author is a second-generation Japanese Canadian and also wrote "Ojiichan's Gift".
I highly recommend reading this book with children. They can learn a valuable lesson about not allowing bullies to bother them and learning to be true to themselves. Thankfully, the author doesn't overly emphasize the message but presents it in a beautifully subtle way. Thank you, Suki! It's a pleasure to know you.

In recent years, the children's book that I have read and loved the most is truly remarkable.

Its illustrations are magnificent! They are not only wonderful but also extremely charming. The colorful and vivid watercolor illustrations alone make it worth having. Besides, the story and its message are also very powerful. What makes this otherwise quite realistic book "fairy-tale-like" is the courage of the beloved Suki. Can a child be so brave? Am I as brave and self-confident as Suki after all these years?

Suki and her siblings. The siblings have surrendered to what is expected and wanted (no criticism here, it's quite normal) and are behaving in a compliant manner. Suki, on the other hand, prefers to "be different and act as she wants, as she believes" and stands firm. We see the reflections of being different, being oneself, and not being completely compliant in school, in the class, and actually in society. Due to her culture and beliefs, the difficulty of trying to exist with her visibility and not making concessions is also what the book mainly shows us. Actually, we end the story with the richness of differences as the finale. It can also be looked at from an adult's perspective in such a broad scope, and for children, the message of standing firm against the bullying that even the tiniest differences can cause among peers can also be drawn. In every way, with its text, illustrations, sweet charm, and Suki's choreography, it is a perfect book.

Suki has had an amazing adventure with her obachan. She is so excited that she wants to share this wonderful experience with her class in a very special way. However, her older sisters try to warn her that this might not be a good idea. They tell her that the things she wants to share might be too different or might not be understood by her classmates.

The story is not just about Suki's adventure but also introduces several Japanese customs and words. This makes the story very useful. It can be used during a literacy activity to help students improve their reading and writing skills. At the same time, it can also be incorporated into an elementary social studies lesson. In this way, students can learn about different cultures and expand their knowledge.

I firmly believe that it was an outstanding book. The reason being, it was extremely interesting. It provided me with a wealth of knowledge. For instance, I got to know how they consume their shredded ice. They have it with red bean sauce. This unique detail really caught my attention and made me more curious about their culture and lifestyle. Reading this book was not only a source of entertainment but also an educational experience. It opened my eyes to different ways of doing things and broadened my perspective. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning about new cultures and having an enjoyable reading experience.