Author: Minh Lê
Illustrator: Dan Santat
Publisher and Year: Disney-Hyperion, 2018
Drawn Together is about a young boy who is not thrilled to go visit his grandfather who cannot speak English. At first, they have a hard time communicating with one another and because of that, the grandson becomes frustrated. He goes to start sketching in his sketchbook when his grandfather comes over. The grandfather then starts to draw pictures alongside him and it opens up a form of communication between the two. Through all of the drawings, they are able to understand each other and have an imaginative conversation without words.
Why read it? This book is a good way to show children that even if they cannot physically speak with someone, there are other creative forms of communication. It also shows a multicultural family and how there may be a cultural divide between family members.
What makes this a quality book? It shows a cultural barrier overcome by a grandfather and his grandson which is something that is not often represented in children’s literature.
Intended reader: This book is great for people who like a story about overcoming challenges. This book also for people who like vibrant colors in the illustrations of a book.
Resources:
This website has an interview with the author and how this book relates to his life experiences.
This website has the author’s answers to questions about the book and his life in general.
Jess's Children's Literature Resource File 