Erika-San    by Allen Say Order:  USA  Can Houghton Mifflin, 2009 (2009) Hardcover     Reviewed by Jessica Weaver Erika's only dream is to live in a small house she saw in a photo when she was a young girl. Her grandfather took the photo in Japan. Erika follows her dream right to a small island, away from the bustle of Tokyo, to a little school. Her dream house, it turns out, is a tea house. And perhaps there is some more to her dream on the island? Erika-San is an excellent first exposure to Japanese culture, though a little lengthy for a younger child. The muted pictures speak of Old Japan. While I found the mini romance storyline overcomplicated for a short children's tale, Say's writing is very lovely and simple. This would be a great read to spark a discussion on following dreams and setting goals with an older child (7-9). Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews