A. Bibliography
Choi, Yangsook. (2001). THE NAME JAR. New York: Dragonfly Books. ISBN 978-0440417996
B. Plot Summary
After students on a bus have a difficult time pronouncing her Korean name, Unhei decides to withhold her name from her new classmates until she chooses one. Her classmates try helping her find a name by placing name suggestions in her name jar. Eventually, Unhei chooses her name and teaches everybody its pronunciation.
C. Critical Analysis
The protagonist in this story is Unhei, a young Korean American girl. She is a likable character who experiences several emotions and events that many immigrants face such as the mispronunciation of their names. Because of this, young readers who have unique names that are often mispronounced are able to relate with Unhei and her struggle with embracing her name. Moreover, recent young immigrants will be able to see themselves in the story since Unhei deals with identity issues as well as adjustment challenges. Unhei’s family and Mr. Kim, the local owner of a market, like Unhei, they are authentically depicted and they value Unhei’s name and its meaning as well as the Korean culture. The story takes place in contemporary time and in Brooklyn, New York. In regards to cultural markers, the story has some cultural details that are consistent with Korean culture. For example, kimchi, a Korean dish, is mentioned as well as the importance of keeping their culture despite living in America. In addition, other Korean words are used in the story such as, chinku which means friend and Unhei which means grace.Overall, the story celebrates diversity when Unhei’s mother states different is a good thing, Joey appreciates Unhei’s name and its meaning, and Unhei accepts her name and teaches its pronunciation to others.
The illustrations are appealing and vibrantly colorful and accurately portray Korean culture. The use of shadows and shading as well as details in the illustrations make the story more realistic. Also, being that Brooklyn is a melting pot of cultures, the characters in the story reflect this diversity. They are illustrated as having different hair color, eye color, and skin tone. All in all, I recommend this picture book because it sends a positive message to recent immigrants who are adjusting to new changes.
D. Review Excerpts
The New York Times Book Review: “Unhei’s reflection and inner strength are noteworthy; cultural details freshen the story, and Choi’s gleaming, expressive paintings are always a treasure.”
School Library Journal: “the bold, bright paintings that illustrate the story are realistic, warm, and appealing.”
E. Connections
You might enjoy these other books by Yangsook Choi:
THE SUN GIRL AND THE MOON BOY: A KOREAN FOLKTALE. ISBN 978-0679883869
PEACH HEAVEN. ISBN 978-0374357610
BEHIND THE MASK. ISBN 978-0374305222
A. Bibliography
Lin, Grace. (2006). THE YEAR OF THE DOG. New York: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 978-0316060028
B. Plot Summary
Pacy, a young Chinese American and Taiwanese American, is determined in finding herself during the Year of the Dog. As the year goes by, Pacy, who is known at school as Grace, tries to find new talents that will help her decide which career to pursue in the future. Throughout the process, Pacy tries understanding two cultures and then eventually finds her true purpose for her life.
C. Critical Analysis
In this young coming-of-age memoir, the characters in the story are authentically portrayed as having distinct cultural experiences. For example, although Pacy and Melody are both Taiwanese American, they do not have the same experiences. Pacy eats different foods and cannot speak Taiwanese or Chinese. Because of this, Pacy is seen by others as being too Americanized and is called a twinkie, yellow on the outside and white on the inside. Being that Pacy is part of the minority in her school, Pacy interacts with characters of other cultures, but especially with her best friend Becky Williams. It is through her interactions with people from other cultures that she realizes that there are not a lot of Chinese people in movies, plays, and books and that she does not exactly fit in with one culture. According to Pacy, to Americans she is too Chinese and to Chinese she is too American. She eventually realizes that she is both Chinese American and Taiwanese American.
Because the book is a semi-autobiographical story, the story is set in the U.S. in historical time when the author was a young child. As for cultural markers, the story is rich in cultural details. The flashbacks of her mother’s memories and stories provide readers with further insight into Taiwanese culture. Moreover, the story is full of Taiwanese and Chinese traditions and words such as, the Chinese New Year, “Gong xi-gong xi! Xin-nian kuai le!,” Hong bao, Red Egg Party, “Ja-ba, bei?”, Chinese symbols on the neck to ease pain, and the camp for Taiwanese-American Convention. In addition, certain foods and meals are mentioned like fried dumplings, New Year’s candy, egg foo young, and weird looking Chinese vegetables. It is these unique vegetables that inspire Pacy to write an award-winning book called The Ugly Vegetables. The illustrations are black and white cartoon style drawings. They are appealing caricatures and allow readers to visualize the story. I recommend this book because it is entertaining and leaves readers wanting to read more books by Grace Lin.
D. Review Excerpts
Kirkus Reviews: “This comfortable first-person story will be a treat for Asian-American girls looking to see themselves in their reading, but also for any reader who enjoys stories of friendship and family life.”
The Horn Book: “Entertaining and often illuminating.”
Publishers Weekly: “Lin creates an endearing protagonist, realistically dealing with universal emotions and situations. Girls everywhere, but especially those in the Asian-American community, will find much to embrace here.”
E. Connections
You might enjoy these other books by Grace Lin:
THE YEAR OF THE RAT. ISBN 978-0316033619
DUMPLING DAYS. ISBN 978-0316125895
WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON. ISBN 978-0316038638
A. Bibliography
Say, Allen. (2011). DRAWING FROM MEMORY. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 978-0545176866
B. Plot Summary
In this memoir, Allen Say narrates his childhood path on becoming an artist. Even though some of his family members did not approve of Allen’s artistic aspirations, Allen continued to pursue his dream and became an apprentice of Noro Shinpei, one of Japan’s famous artists. With his sensei’s guidance, Allen flourished as an artist and to this day, he continues to draw and paint.
C. Critical Analysis
Since the story is part memoir, the characters in the story are authentic and each have distinct cultural experiences. The author provides enough information about his family and friends as well as the Japanese culture so that readers can perceive the influences that shaped Allen’s life. The setting of the story is consistent with historical time and accurately represents the characters’ environment. When Allen was four years old, World War II began in Japan. Due to the bombs that fell on his hometown, like most families, Allen’s family was torn apart. However, four years after the war, Allen and his family were reunited with his father. The story is rich in cultural details and is consistent with Japanese culture. Several cities in Japan are mentioned in the story as well as several Japanese words and symbols such as, sensei, kamishibai, and dojo. Furthermore, some characters’ worldviews, like Allen’s father and grandmother, are commonly held among Japanese families.
The is a mixture of illustration types such as, watercolor paintings, full color drawings, black and white sketches, maps, vintage photographs, and original cartoons and comics that resemble a graphic novel. All of these lively and appealing illustrations provide texture and enhance the story, and accurately portray Japanese culture. With these illustrations, readers are able to gain a sense of understanding as the author chronicles the events in his life that led him to becoming a successful artist. I recommend this book because it is engaging and inspires readers to seek their dreams despite obstacles.
D. Review Excerpts
School Library Journal: “This ‘journey through memories’ uses a scrapbook format featuring the author’s photographs, sketches, drawings, and comic-style panels. Say shares his love of comics and the important influence they have in his art. The book is a poignant tribute to his mentor, Japanese cartoonist Noro Shinpei.”
Kirkus Reviews: “Aesthetically superb; this will fascinate comics readers and budding artists while creating new Say fans.”
E. Connections
More books you might enjoy by Allen Say:
THE INKER’S SHADOW. ISBN 978-0545437769
TEA WITH MILK. ISBN 978-0547237473
GRANDFATHER’S JOURNEY. ISBN 978-0547076805
A. Bibliography
Park, Linda Sue. (2000). THE KITE FIGHTERS. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 978-0395940419
B. Plot Summary
Young-Sup is a strong kite flier. His older brother Kee-Sup can design a kite out of paper and wood that is fit for a king. Together they make a strong pair. They can't wait to showcase their talent at the next New Year kite competition. One problem stands in their way- the centuries-old tradition requiring the younger brother to stand behind his older brother. Young-Sup knows he is better than his older brother, but can they convince their father of this?
C. Critical Analysis
The Kite Fighters is set in Seoul, Korea in 1473. Two young brothers, Kee-sup and Young-sup,live under the Confucion rule which dictates filial law (how a child shows respect to his parents). The oldest brother and son, Kee-sup, is heir to all of the privileges and responsibilities of the “House of Lee”. It is Young-sup’s duty to help his brother regardless of what he wants or desires.
Kee-sup’s capping ceremony occurs at the beginning of the kite season. This is an important rite in Korean culture. The family dresses in their finest clothes, scrolls are hung, and they have a celebration feast. During the capping ceremony, Kee-sup’s hair was “twisted upward and around itself until it formed a smooth knot on the top of his head”. A plain narrow ribbon is tied around the chin. Formal bows are made, and the ceremony concludes with the shedding of his bright jacket and the donning of “the white clothes of adulthood”. Once a boy has his capping ceremony he is treated like an adult. Young-sup struggles with treating him like an adult rather than his oldest brother.
Kee-sup can make exquisite kites, but he is not very good at flying them. Young-sup cannot make a kite, but he can ‘feel’ the movement of the kite and can always get one to fly. The annual kite fighting contest is approaching, and Young-sup wants to participate, but it is tradition for the eldest son to represent the family. Young-sup will have to obey the traditions and let his brother compete if that is what he wants.
After earning a new reel for his kite, Young-sup and Kee-sup go out to the hillside to fly their tiger kites. It is here they cross paths with the King, who is just eleven-years-old. (“The custom and law of the land dictated that his son become King in his place. That was the natural order of things.” When His Majesty the King died suddenly his son was only eight years old.) The King had seen the tiger kites flying, and he wanted to see who was flying them. The King asks Kee-sup to make him a “King’s kite”. He wanted one that would “fly like Young-sup’s tiger”.
Kee-sup’s father freed him of his studies for as long as it took him to build the kite. After several attempts they ask their father for advice, and he tells them to make a dragon kite. The dragon is the “country’s symbol for His Majesty”. Kee-sup builds a beautiful dragon kite, but he is not quite satisfied with it. He refuses to cut the paper for several days and Young-sup argues with him because he thinks it is rude to keep the King waiting.
While Kee-sup was working on the kite, Young-sup went out to the hill to fly his own kite. The King comes out to meet him many times, and they become friends. Young-sup teaches the King how to fly a kite, and he decides he wants to enter the contest at the festival, but he knows he cannot be the one to compete because no one would try against him. He wants Young-sup to fly for him. When the boys tell their father of the King’s request he says that Kee-sup will be the flyer because he is the oldest. It was the eldest son who was expected to bring honor to the family. Kee-sup knows that Young-sup is the better flyer, and he wants to win for the king, so he goes against tradition and asks his father to allow Young-sup to enter the contest in his place. He agrees, but only because it was for the king.
Kee-sup and Young-sup work together to ensure Young-sup has the best chance at winning the contest. After Young-sup gets cut from a small piece of a broken jar, Kee-sup gets an idea. He makes a “heavy mixture of rice paste and powdered pottery” to add to the kite string to make it easy to cut other lines. It is because of this mixture and Young-sup’s kite-flying abilities that he is able to win the contest for the King.
D. Review Excerpts
School Library Journal: "With ease and grace, Park brings these long-ago children to life."
Booklist: “An author's note authenticates some historical points in the fictional story, which feels consistently well-grounded in its time and place.”
E. Connections
More books you might enjoy by Linda Sue Park:
A SINGLE SHARD ISBN 978-0547534268
WHEN MY NAME WAS KEOKO ISBN 978-0440419440
SEESAW GIRL ISBN 978-0547248882
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