Cross Purposes! I Really Want To See You, Grandma by Taro Gomi

Yumi and her Grandma really love to be together.

One day Yumi decides there is no time like the present.

YUMI REALLY WANTED TO SEE GRANDMA. SHE HEADED OUT HAPPILY.

Yumi picks a yellow tulip for Grandma and catches the bus at the stop down the hill from her house. Meanwhile, Grandma decides she just can't wait to see Yumi. She picks her a basket of apples and takes the train to Yumi's house. But on the way, Yumi's bus goes over the bridge while Grandma's train trundles under the overpass going in the opposite direction.

Grandma arrives at Yumi's house, only to learn from Yumi's mother that Yumi is on her way to her house.

Yumi arrives at Grandma's house, only to learn from Grandpa that Grandma is on her way to Yumi's house.

"OH, NO!"

Grandma hustles back down to the road and hails a taxi to go back to her house. Yumi dashes down to the road, tulip still in hand, and hitches a ride with a farmer heading back toward her house.

But again the two pass each other on the road, going in opposite directions!

Discovering that they've missed each other again, the two don't give up! Yumi hops on her scooter and Grandma jumps on her motorbike!

The third time is the charm, in Taro Gomi's killer-diller readaloud, I Really Want to See You, Grandma (Chronicle Books), as at last the star-crossed two meet each other halfway and share the apples under a friendly tree, agreeing that they've found the perfect place to meet. Veteran children's author-illustrator Gomi paces this story perfectly for youngsters, building suspense as they watch the two unknowingly sail past each other twice on the road. Gomi's illustrations, with the comic gestures of the frantic family, will produce lots of giggles in this jolly comedy of errors tale. Opines The New York Times, "Gomi's witty one-dimensional illustrations drolly complement his storytelling,"