When Granny Came To Stay by Alice Pung

This is the second book that the kids have read in the Our Stories series. OUR STORIES is a funny, relatable and engaging new early-chapter book series that celebrates Australia’s multicultural society with authors and illustrators from a diverse range of backgrounds.

This book is about a boy whose granny comes from China to stay with him and his family. Granny cooks different foods, speaks a different language, doesn’t understand the toys that he likes and walks him to school every day.

It’s such a beautiful story about intergenerational relationships, multiculturalism and loving and accepting your family as they are (even if it seems “strange”).

I personally related to this book as I grew up with a grandmother not too dissimilar to that featured in the book and I think it’s such a wonderful message on accepting others’ cultures even if it looks different to yours.

My 8-year-old also related quite well to this book as she also has a grandmother who lives overseas that speaks a different language and who she frequently does video calls with. Her grandmother will be coming from overseas soon to stay with us – so I am sure Mia will remember this book fondly as she spends time with her own grandmother.


Genre: 5-8 years old