Shapes, Lines, and Light: My Grandfather's American Journey

by Katie Yamasaki

Overview

Katie Yamasaki’s newest picture book celebrates the life of her grandfather, the acclaimed Japanese American architect Minoru Yamasaki.

Minoru Yamasaki described the feeling he sought to create in his buildings as “serenity, surprise, and delight.” Here, Katie Yamasaki charts his life and work: his childhood in Seattle’s Japanese immigrant community, paying his way through college working in Alaska’s notorious salmon canneries, his success in architectural school, and the transformative structures he imagined and built. A Japanese American man who faced brutal anti-Asian racism in post–World War II America and an outsider to the architectural establishment, he nonetheless left his mark on the world, from the American Midwest to New York City, Asia, and the Middle East.

This striking picture book renders one artist’s work through the eyes of another, and tells a story of a man whose vision, hard work, and humanity led him to the pinnacle of his field.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781324017028
Publisher:	Norton Young Readers
Publication date:	10/18/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	56
File size:	18 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

About the Author

Katie Yamasaki works primarily as a muralist and picture book creator. She has painted more than eighty murals around the world, and her most recent book is Place Hand Here. She lives in Brooklyn with her family.

Editorial Reviews

10/24/2022

With evocative writing and light-filled illustrations, Yamasaki pays homage to the legacy of her grandfather, Japanese American architect Minoru “Yama” Yamasaki (1912–1986), who designed the World Trade Center, among many other buildings. Visceral descriptions of the prejudice Yama encountered over the course of his career infuse every aspect of the biography—from his labor for an Alaskan cannery to the bias he’s shown as a job seeker during the Great Depression (“Have you ever tasted something bitter in your mouth?/ That’s how they said ‘Japanese’ ”) to his efforts on behalf of family escaping internment camps during WWII. Airy, light-filled, welcoming constructions become Yama’s response to these experiences: “The spaces he built connected to the humanity of everyday people.” While the text often only gestures toward specific events (“Many years later, a terrible thing happened,” accompanies an image of the Twin Towers billowing smoke), an author’s note amply fills in the blanks with a full chronology of the figure’s life. Appropriately, surreal artwork embraces the lofty shapes, lines, and light that define its subject’s style. Ages 6–8. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"An apt tribute to an iconic architect."

Booklist

10/28/2022

Gr 1–3—"A lot of the world happened to him. And he happened to a lot of the world," Yamasaki writes in this joyful tribute to her famed architect-grandfather; she opens with his childhood in Seattle's immigrant community and moves through his life, where he sought the comfort of open, light spaces that eventually informed his design. Yamasaki touches on the anti-Asian sentiment of World War II and post-war America and how Yama, as he was known, overcame each hurdle to rise to the top of his field, taking care of his family the entire time. Yamasaki's illustration conveys her grandfather's influence here as she creates bright, welcoming spreads with touches of Yama: arches and swirls dance through a piano's music; Yama's geometric patterns are noticeable as his father stocks shelves and mops floors. Back matter includes a more in-depth biography on the elder Yamasaki, with sketches of his more famous works, including New York's original World Trade Center and Princeton University's Robertson Hall. Yamasaki creates a loving portrait of her grandfather that emphasizes family and perseverance in equal measure. VERDICT An excellent purchase for picture book biography collections.—Rosemary Kiladitis

School Library Journal

In this inspiring biography for children, author and narrator Katie Yamasaki honors the legacy of her grandfather, the Japanese-American architect Minoru "Yama" Yamasaki. Best known as the man who designed the original World Trade Center in New York, Yama had to overcome racial hatred and discrimination—personally and professionally—throughout his life. But he believed in himself and his life's work, and ultimately those challenging circumstances greatly influenced his creation of beautiful, welcoming spaces for all people. Enhanced by uplifting music, Yamasaki's prose and expressive voice capture her grandfather's spirit and convey her love and respect for this remarkable visionary's courage and determination. Her comprehensive endnotes provide details of Yama’s family history, struggles with racism, and iconic architectural achievements. S.A.A. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine

JANUARY 2023 - AudioFile

In this inspiring biography for children, author and narrator Katie Yamasaki honors the legacy of her grandfather, the Japanese-American architect Minoru "Yama" Yamasaki. Best known as the man who designed the original World Trade Center in New York, Yama had to overcome racial hatred and discrimination—personally and professionally—throughout his life. But he believed in himself and his life's work, and ultimately those challenging circumstances greatly influenced his creation of beautiful, welcoming spaces for all people. Enhanced by uplifting music, Yamasaki's prose and expressive voice capture her grandfather's spirit and convey her love and respect for this remarkable visionary's courage and determination. Her comprehensive endnotes provide details of Yama’s family history, struggles with racism, and iconic architectural achievements. S.A.A. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine

JANUARY 2023 - AudioFile

2022-06-08
A loving profile of Minoru “Yama” Yamasaki, a pioneering Japanese American architect whose buildings became cultural symbols across America.

When Yama was young, there were places he felt seen and those that did not welcome him. In this chronicle, his author/illustrator granddaughter shares how Yama overcame discrimination to become one of the great 20th-century architects. Lovely, lyrical prose begins Yama’s story as the world makes assumptions about his family—and how despite these degradations, he believes in the truth of his potential. Through the Great Depression and World War II as anti-Japanese sentiment rises, Yama strives to bring light and serenity to the places he creates. The artist’s painted illustrations layer elements of the architect’s stylings into each spread. The complicated renderings are earnest in their effort to convey a complex narrative. Not mentioned by name, the World Trade Center is referenced, offering a fuller view of what happened to some of Yama’s creations. While this transition is a bit abrupt, the author offers a more comprehensive look at Yama’s life and his masterpieces in the backmatter along with illustrations of his most famous buildings. Despite this change in tone, the author successfully captures the longing to fulfill the American dream and Yama’s patience and courage as he pursued that dream in the face of racism. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An American story of beating the odds and overcoming bigotry to create something greater than oneself. Inspiring. (Picture-book biography. 6-8)

Kirkus Reviews