Maile isn't pleased when she finds out that she will have to miss softball tryouts because she and her parents will be flying out to Hawaii for a family reunion, and the celebration of the Obon Festival. As she learns more about this important time in the Japanese Buddhist calendar, a time in which people remember their ancestors - reuniting with family, decorating graves, participating in dances, setting lanterns afloat - she also connects with her shy cousin Kim, with whom she has more in common than she at first thought...

It would appear that Obon is celebrated at different times, in different regions of Japan, depending upon the use of the solar or lunar calendar. Ruth Suyenaga's Obon occurs in July (Shichigatsu Bon), and presents both an explanation of the customs of the festival, through Maile's own learning process, and a sweet family story in which two cousins go from strangers to friends. The accompanying artwork from Yoshi Miyake is colorful and appealing, and there are also black and white photographs of Obon observances included. I think my favorite scene, visually speaking, was the wordless two-page spread in which the lanterns were set in the water, to guide the spirits of the ancestors. This is the first children's book I have encountered about Obon, and is one I would recommend to any picture-book readers looking for stories about that festival, or featuring extended family relations. ( )

Summary:
This book is about Maile, a Japanese girl who loves to play softball. She finds out that her softball tryouts will be on the same day she leaves for Hawaii for the Obon festival with her family. While there she meets her cousin Kim, who also plays softball.
Personal Reaction:
I thought this book was interesting and had good illustrations. I enjoyed the ending when the girls found out they both loved softball.
Classroom Extensions:
#1: I would have the children find out about their family history and share about their family's cultural traditions.
#2: I would have the kids bring their favorite picture of themselves to class so we could make a class scrapbook like Maile and Kim's great-grandmother had. ( )

I really liked this book it is about a little Japanese girl from Massachutes and she has to go to an Obon festival during her softball tryouts while she is there she meets her cousin and they slowly become friends and she ends up getting to play softball with her cousin. I really related to this story because I love softball I played in college and I hope that it is something that my daughter and I will have in common.

Classroom Extension: Make the rice cakes in the book and maybe another one of the recipes and try the Japanese cuisine
Classroom Extension: Go outside and play a game of whiffle ball to mock the softball that the girls were playing in the book.