Purchase to Support Our Program

2026 Asian/Pacific American Honor Title for Asian American Picture Book

“Three generations of a Japanese American family pass down embodied wisdom in this tender seasonal tale authored by a father-daughter team. In spring, as young Midori walks with Dad and Jiichan through a peach orchard, Midori bites into a crunchy fruit. Jiichan, who advises that a peach is ripe “when it tastes like a story,” compares the peaches to their ancestors’ early years in America, as green-inked images depict their incarceration.”

—Publisher’s Weekly, Starred Review

Every Peach Is a Story

Written by David Mas Masumoto and Nikiko Masumoto
Illustrated by Lauren Tamaki
Published by Abrams Books for Young Readers

In this poignant debut picture book from authors and farmers Nikiko Masumoto and David Mas Masumoto, with illustrations by award-winning artist Lauren Tamaki, little Midori discovers that every peach on her Japanese American family’s farm is a sweet reminder of those who’ve come before

One spring day, little Midori asks Jiichan, her grandfather, if the peaches on her family’s farm are ripe yet. To her surprise, he asks, “Does it taste like a story? That’s when you know it is ripe.”

As Jiichan teaches her about her Japanese American heritage and her family’s deep connection to this land, Midori begins to realize the patience, hard work, and endurance that allowed their roots to grow.

 

Primary ISBN: 9781949480290
Publication Date: March 2025
Available As: Hardcover, eBook
Picture Book, Age 04 or older

Community Represented:

Themes: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Setting: United States (California)

Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Unknown Arrival

Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience

Click here for details about how we define our titles.

Engagement Projects & Resources:

Share your favorite resources for this book with info@imyourneighborbooks.org.