EVERY PEACH IS A STORY

Midori, a young Japanese American girl, strides into her family’s orchard, followed by her Jiichan (Grandfather), to find ripe peaches. She takes a bite of one but…“crunch!” It’s still too hard. Jiichan urges Midori to be patient: “You’ll know it’s ready when it tastes like a story.” Jiichan likens green peaches to the family’s ancestors when they first set foot in the United States: “Things weren’t ready. They felt like strangers.” Time goes by, and Midori picks up a yellow peach; it’s firm but has a soft spot. Midori’s father compares it to the family farm: “We [began] by planting roots in America in one spot.” More time passes, and when Jiichan hands Midori another peach, she takes a juicy bite and detects the seeds of her family’s efforts embodied in the sweet fruit. The seasons pass, and Jiichan dies. In his absence, Midori returns to the orchard, drawing on his guidance as she employs her senses and picks a peach that truly tastes like a story. Narrated in a mix of free verse and prose, the Masumotos’ spare, haikulike text is simple yet laden with lush imagery. Using loose inky-black lines awash with vivid splashes of green, yellow, orange, and blue, Tamaki’s gorgeous illustrations propel this quiet tale forward, evoking Midori’s energy and curiosity.

Mar 11, 2025 - 07:30

Midori, a young Japanese American girl, strides into her family’s orchard, followed by her Jiichan (Grandfather), to find ripe peaches. She takes a bite of one but…“crunch!” It’s still too hard. Jiichan urges Midori to be patient: “You’ll know it’s ready when it tastes like a story.” Jiichan likens green peaches to the family’s ancestors when they first set foot in the United States: “Things weren’t ready. They felt like strangers.” Time goes by, and Midori picks up a yellow peach; it’s firm but has a soft spot. Midori’s father compares it to the family farm: “We [began] by planting roots in America in one spot.” More time passes, and when Jiichan hands Midori another peach, she takes a juicy bite and detects the seeds of her family’s efforts embodied in the sweet fruit. The seasons pass, and Jiichan dies. In his absence, Midori returns to the orchard, drawing on his guidance as she employs her senses and picks a peach that truly tastes like a story. Narrated in a mix of free verse and prose, the Masumotos’ spare, haikulike text is simple yet laden with lush imagery. Using loose inky-black lines awash with vivid splashes of green, yellow, orange, and blue, Tamaki’s gorgeous illustrations propel this quiet tale forward, evoking Midori’s energy and curiosity.