Coco Can't Wait

by Taro Gomi

Coco and her grandmother set out from their houses to visit but keep missing each other along the way.

Genres: Picture Books, Family, Childrens, Transport, Fiction, Storytime, Humor

Paperback

First published August 1, 1979

About the author

Taro Gomi (五味太郎) is a major children’s illustrator and writer. He has more than 400 book titles to his credit. His work has been widely translated into 15 other languages.


Tarō was born in Tokyo and he graduated from ID department, Kuwazawa Design Institute. His readers range from babies to adults, with an equal number of fans overseas. His work has been appreciated considerably with both domestic and international honours such as the Sankei Jido Shuppan Bunka Award, Bologna Children's Book Fair Award among others.


Along with authoring children's books, he is well-known in the fields of Stationery design, clothing design, production of young children's animated videos, CD-ROMs, essays etc.


His popular books published in English include Everyone Poops, Santa Through the Window, Where's the Fish?, My Friends and The Crocodile and the Dentist.

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yumi and Grandma both decide to go visit the other and have a series of missed encounters. A heartfelt picture book that tells a loving story with gentle humor. They travel by bus, train, truck, taxi, scooter, and motorcycle until they are eventually successful. I especially loved Grandma's determined facial express while on the motorcyle shouting "I want to see Yumi NOW!" A wonderful story that grandparents everywhere will enjoy sharing.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't remember why I put this on hold but it is adorable. I love that the grandma drives a little orange motorbike.

[winter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Achei meio cringe mas ate e ok. Mas acho que 14 paus para 2 min de leitura nao é muito pog. Enfim gg autor

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

9/4/2023 - Cute book about a grandmother and granddaughter trying to visit each other 💞💞

[Andrea Ladino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yo también quiero ver a mi mami.

Ternura hecho libro.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

At a Glance:
Genre: Fiction Picture Book
Format: Digital Read Aloud, YouTube
Age Range: PK-2
One-Stop Plot!: Yumi visits Grandma’s house. Grandma visits Yumi’s house. Oh no!
Themes: Determination, Love, Frustration, Patience
Reviews: Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly
Acquisition: Book list from Literacy Worldwide
Spoiler Alert Rating: 3/10

Yumi wants to see Grandma and Grandma wants to see Yumi. “Oh no!” They passed each other along the way. One on a train, one in a bus. One in a taxi, one in a truck. Again and again. Will Yumi and Grandma ever get to see each other today?

The simple watercolor spreads add a soft, comfortable feel to the story as the reader follow Yumi and Grandma moving back and forth from house to house, missing each other every time. They arrive at their destination only to find that the other is not there. “Oh no!” they cry, with humorous expressions of shock on their faces and in their body language. This repetition, along with simple repeated sentences on each page, will draw in the reader and who may begin to yell “Oh no!” as well when they see Grandma and Yumi yet again passing each other and anticipate yet another mix-up. Despite the challenges the characters face, the author’s text and illustrations keeps a lighthearted and positive tone throughout.

Teacher considerations:

Compare and Contrast/Writing: Multiple opportunities throughout the book to compare and contrast different types of transportation. With the repetitive nature of the texts, students may add on to the story using other similar types of transportation (plane and helicopter?/ spaceship and rocket) and assemble a read aloud using the created pages.

Problem and Solution: The problem and solution in the text is clear and would provide a good introduction or a review of the problem and solution text structure.

Social Emotional Learning: Yumi and Grandma want to see each other, but they keep missing each other along the way. Students may discuss times when there has been a mix-up and things did not work out as planned. What emotions did you feel? How was the problem solved? If you have a misunderstanding or a mix-up in the future, what steps can you take to work toward your goal?

Author: Taro Gomi is a internationally renowned prolific author and illustrator from Japan and his books have been translated into multiple different languages. The depictions of his characters hold an authenticity to his heritage while his messages and humor reach out to children across the world.

Notes: Yumi, about 4 or 5 years old, leaves her house to travel alone, across hills, mountains, and bridges to get to Grandma’s house. She also takes the bus and hops in a truck with a possibly unknown driver. While reviews look upon these possible concerns in a positive light, some may choose to discuss such safety issues.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't think I was going to care for this, but it totally stole my heart. The situation is loving and silly, and both of them angrily scooting to reach each other at the end genuinely made me lol. Gave me a serious case of missing my grandma.

[KC · Rating 2 out of 5]

Granddaughter and grandmother trying to visit each other!

[Syntha Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to figure out when I can use this in a storytime.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a charming book that hits just the right tone for a Grandma and a granddaughter who go to great lengths to see each other. Totally fun!

[YOONJIN HAN · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a story that a girl and her grandmother go trip to meet together, but they miss each other on the way. It illustrates different types of transportation which can be used for read-aloud activity with a whole-group discussion. It also includes repetitive words and phrases, and therefore a teacher can use this book for guided-reading activity and reading fluency assessment with English learners.

[Villain E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute. A grandmother and granddaughter get a hankering to visit each other. They both set out and miss each other, then hurry back home and miss each other again. Eventually, they meet in the middle.

[Danielle]

A fun one about missing each other, and then literally missing each other en route. I always adore Taro Gomi's artwork and stories with a playful spirit.

[Steph Soukup · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Really Want to See You, Grandma is an International Children’s Book that was originally published in Japanese in 1979, but published in English in 2018. The author and illustrator, Taro Gomi, lives in Tokyo, Japan, and has written and illustrated over 400 books which have been translated into at least 15 other languages. I read this as an e-book as part of a graduate course assignment. The story is about a young girl named Yumi who wants to see her grandma. Coincidentally, her grandma wants to see Yumi on that same day. They take different forms of public transportation to try to see each other. Yumi takes a bus and grandma takes a train, but they end up at each other’s houses without each other. So, they go home and try again. The next time, grandma takes a taxi and Yumi takes a truck, but the same mistake happens again. Finally, they rush out on scooters and motorcycles and meet under a tree. In the end, they decide to always meet each other under the tree to avoid missing each other in the future. What I liked about this book is how relatable the book can be to any child missing their grandparents or loved ones. The illustrations are also made with bright paint on a white background. Since this book was originally published in Japanese in 1979, I feel that the illustrations could be a bit outdated compared to what Taro might illustrate today. For instance, Yumi and her grandma live on different hills on what looks to be different sides of a town with buses and trains running between their houses. If it were illustrated today, the illustrations might change to show a more updated version of what the town looks like. However, the illustrations are still easy to follow and add to an understanding of the story. This book could be used as a read aloud, or a lesson on making and revising predictions.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an amusing picture book that reminds readers of all those missed possibilities and how sometimes great minds might think alike, but they still might land in the right places. Yumi and her grandmother live far apart but close enough to travel to each other's homes in a timely fashion. Yumi is determined to visit her grandmother who has the same idea, and each one sets off for a visit. But despite their good intentions, they just keep missing each other. Eventually, they arrive at the same place at the same time and agree to wait for each other beneath a tree next time the urge to visit comes. I'm sure a modern audience will agree that things would have been a lot easier if they had phoned each other on a landline or even used their cellphones. But since the book was originally published in Japan in 1979, those now-ubiquitous tools did not exist. Still, the book clearly demonstrates familial love and determination as Yumi and her grandmother become increasingly frantic over the course of their journey, going back and forth, back and forth. The images show their frustration and desperate need to reach one another. Ah, the lengths to which we will go for our loved ones.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interest Level: K-3; Reading Level: 1.4

@kidlitexchange #partner Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book - all opinions are my own.

What do you do when you really, really, really want to see your Grandma? You stop what you are doing and rush to her house, of course. But wait! What if your Grandma really, really, really wants to see you? She stops what she is doing and rushes to your house, of course! But what happens when you and Grandma really, really, really want to see each other at the same time? Well, you stop what you are doing, rush to the house, and... miss each other. Oh no! Grandma and Yumi keep missing each other. They go by bus, train, taxi, truck, scooter, and motorcycle. Will Yumi and Grandma ever meet up? Read this precious story of love and perseverance!
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[YESENIA E Esparza La Fronza]

This book, "I Really Want to See You, Grandma," written and illustrated by Taro Gomi is an international book originally written in 1979, and then translated to English in 2018. Found this book on the International Children's Books site. The story is about a little girl named Yumi and wanting to go visit her grandma. Her grandma also wanted to see Yumi. They both set out to see each other, however they kept crossing paths, until they finally united under a tree. They both said that if they wanted to see each other, they would meet under the tree. It was interesting to see that each time Yumi and grandma set out to see each other, they would use a different mode of transportation. Using this book to teach a lesson about different vehicles that can help you transport yourself from one place to another. Many dark colors are used in the illustrations, however Yumi is dressed in pink and grandma is dressed in purple and pink. The use of facial expressions as the story develops of wanting to see each other.

[Carly Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a cute and funny story of a girl and her grandmother wanting to see each other one day. The little girl wants to go see her grandma, so she leaves to go visit her, and they unknowingly passed each other on the way to each other's house to visit. It's an easy read and made me laugh. I think that it would make any child that reads this story laugh. I also liked that they had the characters be a different ethnicity than most children's books. It helps show children that they have similarities with other children from other countries. I like that about this book. This book could be used to discuss text to self because you can have the children talk about their grandmothers or grandfathers. I think this book's illustrations were colorful, and I like how the illustrations helped add to the story. It showed their emotions and it made me, as a reader, smile.
(Book selection assignment)

[Victoria Barco]

Here is a sweet and funny picture book (first published forty years ago in Japan) about missed connections, determination, and intergenerational devotion. “Yumi’s house is on a hill. It has a pink
roof. Grandma’s house is on a mountain. It has an orange roof.” The opening double-page spread sets the scene, with Yumi’s house on the very left of the spread and Grandma’s on the far right edge. (Gomi uses a wide, long landscape trim size and, indeed, the picture-book form to great effect throughout.) One day, girl and grandmother impulsively set out to see the other, but they keep passing each other as they travel in opposite directions. Every time they discover that they’ve missed each other, they become more and more determined to meet, and their various modes
of transportation become progressively more adventurous (and, not coincidentally, child appealing). First, the usual bus and train; then a boldly hailed cab and an unexpected lift in a truck carrying a cow (who licks Yumi’s face at the critical passing-Grandma moment, obscuring her view); and finally a scooter and a motorbike. At last, to their great joy (“Grandma!” “Yumi!”), they meet in the exact middle of their two houses and happily picnic together under a tree. Warm colors draw viewers in to enjoy all the action and situational humor, while the repetition in the brief but extremely effective text
makes it work for both very young listeners and newly independent readers. Another gem from picture-book master Gomi, now fortunately available to English-speaking readers and listeners.
Lexile level: 500L
grade: 1-2

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sweet picture book that tells the story of a grandmother and granddaughter who miss each other in more ways than one. Grandmother wants to see her granddaughter and vice versa, so they each set off from their homes to pay a visit. Unfortunately, they miss each other several times as they go back and forth to catch up. This could be a good way to talk about conflict and resolution and making predictions. This book was originally published in Japan in 1979, before everyone started walking around with cell phones. The obvious questions today's readers will have, why didn't they call or text each other first?

[Golden Ginkgo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an adorable story about a little girl and her grandmother who decide at the exact same time that they want to see each other. They both set out to visit the other and miss each other repeatedly in the process. You’ll certainly be charmed and amused by this book by the prolific and talented Taro Gomi!

For my more books about grandparents, check outmy post

For many more book recommendations for kids and parents, check out my blog: Golden Ginkgo Books

[Erika L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a sweet story about Yumi and her grandma. They live far away from each other, but they do their best to see each other when they can. The letter of the day was G, so this book fit our theme perfectly! We have a lot of grandparents at our Toddler Storytime, so many of our kids and grandparents could relate to it. There were a lot of worried kiddos in the audience! They were so scared that Yumi and Grandma would keep missing each other. There were many sighs of relief (from the grandparents, too!) when we finished.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book from Horn book Fanfare. The illustrations are simple and sweet but still show the emotions of the main characters clearly, Yumi and her Grandma. They both set out wanting to visit one another but miss each other. The book holds suspense as the pages turn. They both look mad and determined when they finally try getting to one another on a scooter and a motorbike. They finally decide that next time they will meet under a certain tree. This book is adorable and clearly transmits the message of love and loyalty and fierce determination.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Favorite taro gomi book. Great Japanese early children's literature representation. The names and illustrations are clearly Japanese but easy for little children to understand. It's a great little look into a different culture with a concept most little children know - wanting to see grandma. My 3yo really enjoyed this book. I'm not planning on going out and buying it because I don't think it'd be a constant reread, but if it shows up at a clearance sale, I'd get it. And I'd use it to aid if I was talking about Japan to little children

[Bonnie Grover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book-all opinions are my own. Yumi and her grandmother really want to see each other. Throughout the book they use different modes of transportation and seem to always to miss each other. Students will be able to relate to the missed opportunities. I loved the predictable aspect of this story. Taro Gomi has a way of making a simple story beautiful through her artwork and her way with words.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book -- a very simple but engaging comedy of errors about a grandma and grandkid's bond. Funny and touching, easy to follow narrative for even young preschoolers. Really feeling the jewel tone color palate. The only thing that is a little weird is Yumi (the kiddo) "taking a truck" back home, with a driver she ostensibly doesn't know? Maybe it's a non-issue, but it might come up as a conversation, especially in one-on-one reading?

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Needed ideas for picture books and pulled some from the Picture Book long list. This was picked for family bedtime story. I was sure this would be some story of how a child deals with missing their grandparent, which would be something to help SD and SS. But it wasn't that at all! This was really cute and we all enjoyed the story, the mishaps, and the vehicles. Though Hubby still commented that a phone would make this all better, even with the tree solution. Great pictures!

[Micheline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book on:
https://www.literacyworldwide.org/blo...

It is about the love and strong connection between a girl and her grandma. They feel they need to see each other on the same day, but things happen that prevent them from meeting.
It is definitely indicated for very young children (ps-1).
Nice illustrations, simple short sentences, simple vocabulary, appropriate for young children.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple text and illustrations offer a humorous look at what happens when both Yumi and her Grandma want to see each other. But they don't warn each other they are coming, so they are essentially ships passing at night. They keep missing each other: will they ever meet up? (spoiler: yes)

Full of assorted conveyances to get to each other's houses, this was a fun storytime readaloud. Everyone was super bummed each time Yumi and Grandma missed each other.

[Sara Sandora · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book starts off by showing the distance between the main character and her grandma. Conflict arises when they both leave at the same time to see each other, but they miss each other on the way. To end they finally meet up at a tree. This is a fun little book for you children, but it is not very educational.