Tea With Milk

Say, Allen. 1999. TEA WITH MILK. Ill. by Allen Say. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.
ISBN 0395904951

*Summary

When her parents move from California back to their homeland in Japan, May must adjust to being an American girl in her new home.

*Critical Analysis

Through words and illustrations, Allen Say has successfully recreated his mother’s story and her world when she moved from her home outside San Francisco to her parents’ home in Japan. The character of May or Masako is well-developed through narration, dialogue, and illustrations. Readers come to understand May’s position in California: she has been raised in a Japanese home and her parents are immigrants. She has “rice and miso soup and plain green tea for breakfast” at home. However, May is decidedly American. She enjoys “pancakes and muffins and drank tea with milk and sugar” while at her friends’ houses.

May’s reaction to leaving her home in California to begin a new life in Japan is easily relatable. She misses her home – the food, the clothing, the education. As a young girl, she aspired to attend college and to live in San Francisco. Now as she reenters high school to learn Japanese, May struggles to fit in because she is considered a foreigner. When her parents tell her they have hired a matchmaker because a good husband and family are important, May replies, “I’d rather have a turtle than a husband!” This is further evidence of May’s frustration regarding her new home. All of these details work together to portray a character that is interesting and believable.

In addition to the text, the illustrations help readers to understand May and her feelings. For example, an illustration of May in an empty schoolyard at her Japanese school reflects the isolation she feels at being a foreigner. Similarly, a painting of May wearing her brightest dress from California on the streets of Japan where most people are wearing traditional clothing shows May’s defiance and determination to find her own way in Japan. Cultural markers are present in both the text and illustrations. They include May’s Japanese name, Masako, and the use of language when May is referred to as “gaijin.” Also the illustrations portray facial features and skin tones consistent with the culture. The people’s style of dress in Japan is shown.

The plot of the story is chronological and easy to follow. Although many years are covered in the short book, the story has a clear conflict and a satisfying resolution. The illustrations add to the plot by showing the progression of time - May as a child standing on her front porch in California to an adult married and living in Yokohama. Also, Say’s paintings add to the tension of the plot. In the illustration of May’s date with the banker that the matchmaker chose, May is dressed in a kimono and looks uncomfortable sitting next to the young man. Likewise, the picture of May wearing western style clothing on the streets of Japan portrays her determination even as onlookers stare.

One cultural marker is pivotal to the plot. May’s parents’ decision to move back to their homeland in Japan is the beginning of the story’s conflict. Also, another part of the story’s problem is the difference between May’s expectations for her life (college, career, independence) and her parents’ vision of her life (to be a “proper Japanese lady”).

The setting in TEA WITH MILK is definitely important to the plot and the character development. The change in setting from California to Japan is a major part of the plot. Similarly, as the setting changes, May also changes; she is content in California, but in Japan, she struggles to find her niche. The differences between her parents’ hometown and the city of Osaka are also important. May feels much more at home with city life in Japan.

The illustrations add to readers’ understanding of the different settings. In particular, the portrayal of the department store where May eventually finds work. Cultural markers and historic details work together to create the setting. The style of dress and architecture reflect Japanese culture and the time period.

Themes of TEA WITH MILK include family, independence, fitting in, and loneliness. These themes are ones that most readers can identify with regardless of their cultural background. Say’s ability to communicate these themes effectively makes the story appealing. One cultural marker of the theme is the idea of portraying life as an immigrant and an outsider to a particular culture.

The style of Say’s writing includes an effective balance of narration and dialogue. Although May is not the narrator, readers are privy to her thoughts and reactions throughout the book. The story of Say’s mother’s life is told with straight-forward language. Likewise, the illustrations are realistic. The organization of the book, one page of illustration and one page of text, adds to the overall feeling of Say’s story.

Say’s realistic paintings throughout the book add detail and interest to the story. Harmonious colors and attention to details, such as facial expressions make the illustrations intriguing without overpowering the text. Additionally, the illustrations are effective in conveying the moods in the book. For example, the second picture in the book showing teenage May dressed in a kimono with a backdrop of a Japanese style paper window and tea conveys her unhappiness in her new home. The illustrations also show many cultural markers related to the setting, plot, and characters.

*Response

This is the first book by Allen Say that I have read, and I really love the story and the illustrations. I think it will be a great picture book to share in the library with different age groups. The themes make it relate to different topics.

*Review Excerpts

“This is a thoughtful and poignant book that will appeal to a wide range of readers, particularly our nation's many immigrants who grapple with some of the same challenges as May and Joseph, including feeling at home in a place that is not their own.”
School Library Journal

“Say's watercolors are quieter in line and color this time, and the text is much longer. Together, they tell an elemental story that will appeal to everyone who feels a stranger at home.”
Booklist *Starred Review*

“Say's masterfully executed watercolors tell as much of this story about a young woman's challenging transition from America to Japan as his eloquent, economical prose.”
Publishers Weekly

*Connections

-Read another of Say’s books, GRANDFATHER’S JOURNEY, which tells more about Say’s family and culture.

-Conduct research on some of the cultural markers in the book (arranged marriage, tea ceremony, idea of a proper Japanese lady). Do they still exist in Japan today?

-Conduct research about Allen Say’s life in Japan and the United States.

-Do journal writing about one of the themes of the novel – fitting in, family, traditions, etc.