Korean Americans Children's Books See also Asian Americans
	Balgassi, Haemi. Peacebound trains / by Haemi Balgassi ; illustrated by Chris K. Soentpiet. New York : Clarion Books, c1996. 0395720931 Ages 6-10. Sumi lives with her Korean grandmother. Her mother is away in the Army. One lonely day, as Sumi waits to watch a train pass, her grandmother tells her of her escape by train from war torn Seoul during the Korean war.
	Bercaw, Edna Coe. Halmoni's day / Edna Coe Bercaw ; pictures by Robert Hunt. New York : Dial Books for Young Readers, 2000. Ages 6-10. Jennifer's grandmother visits from Korea just in time for Grandparent's Day at school. Jennifer is afraid that her grandmother won't fit in. Hunt's illustrations are soft, expressive and realistic.
	Choi, Sook Nyul. Halmoni and the picnic / Sook Nyul Choi ; illustrated by Karen M. Dugan. Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 1993. Ages 6-10. Yunmi's grandmother, Halmoni, has just moved to New York City. Yunmi helps her grandmother make new friends and Halmoni shows her own graciousness and talents.
	Choi, Sook Nyul. Yunmi and Halmoni's trip / Sook Nyul Choi ; illustrated by Karen Dugan. Boston : Houghton Mifflin Co., 1997. Ages 6-10. Yunmi visits South Korea with her Halmoni. She worries that Halmoni won't want to return to America.
	Choi, Yangsook. The Name Jar / Yangsook Choi. New York : Knopf, c2001. 0375906134 (lib. bdg.). Ages 4-7. Unhei is starting school in America. Although she has a lovely Korean name that means "grace" she thinks maybe she would like a more American sounding name. Her classmates make a name jar and offers suggestions. This story is affirming of the multicultural experience. When Unhei complains about her name, saying that she doesn't want to be different, her mother counters, "You are different, Unhei....That's a good Thing!" Choi superbly illustrates her own story. The characters though simply painted have expressive faces.
	Choi, Yangsook. New Cat / Yangsook Choi. New York : Frances Foster Books/Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1999. 0374355126. Ages 4-7. "New Cat lived in a tofu factory in the Bronx in New York City." So begins the story about New Cat. When Mr. Kim first arrived in New York he went to the shelter and got a cat. Everyone said to Mr. Kim, "Oh, you have a new cat." Thus the cat was named and they settle into a comfortable routine at Mr. Kim's tofu factory. He should have called the cat Lucky, because the cat will help him out in unexpected ways. Now if only I could get some of Mr. Kim's tofu! Choi's playful illustrations enhance the tale.
	Czech, Jan. An American face / by Jan M. Czech ; illustrated by Frances Clancy. Washington , DC : Child & Family Press, c2000. Ages 4-7. A Korean boy, adopted by white parents thinks he will get a new face to match theirs when he becomes an American citizen. Custom borders around the illustration and text emphasize elements of the scene.
	Czech, Jan. The coffee can kid / written by Jan M. Czech ; illustrated by Maurie J. Manning. Washington, DC : Child & Family Press, c2002. Ages 2-6. A Korean American girl asks her adoptive dad to retell the story of her birth mother. Illustrations are dreamy and idealistic.
	Heo, Yumi. Father's rubber shoes / Yumi Heo. New York : Orchard Books, c1995. Ages 4-8. Yungsu is unhappy with his new life in America. One night his father tells him a story and Yungsu understands that his father wants the best for his family. The illustrations are oil paint, pencil, and collage.
	Heo, Yumi. One afternoon / by Yumi Heo. New York : Orchard Books, c1994. Ages 4-8. Minho and his mother spend a day in his city neighborhood. A comforting story of an ordinary afternoon. Heo's paintings look noisy, busy, and almost like a jigsaw puzzle.
	Klingel, Cynthia. Korean Americans / Cynthia Klingel. Chanhassen, Minn. : Child's World, c2004. 1592960162 Ages 6-12. Cynthia Klingel, in Korean Americans, focuses on a hundred years of immigration. She takes care to note differences between Japanese and Chinese immigrants. This book makes an effort to educate readers that Koreans are from Korea and they have a unique history, language, religions, and culture from other Asians. Notes many Korean American first (e.g. first doctor and citizen) and a number of famous citizens (e.g. Margaret Cho, Sammy Lee, etc.). There is a timeline, glossary, detailed index, and lists of additional resources.
	Pak, Soyung. Dear Juno / by Soyung Pak ; illustrated by Susan Kathleen Hartung. New York : Viking, 1999. 0670882526 (hc.) Ages 4-6. Juno receives a letter from his grandmother in Korea. They can't understand each others words, but they still communicate. This is a lovely intergenerational story that show love can travel far and doesn't require words to be expressed.
	Pak, Soyung. Sumi's first day of school ever / by Soyung Pak ; illustrated by Joung Un Kim. New York : Viking, 2003. 067003522X. Ages 4-6. Sumi, newly arrived from Korea, at first feels school is a lonely, mean, and scary place. She soon makes a friend and starts to feel at ease. Kim's illustrations are bright and simple.
	Park, Frances and Ginger Park. Good-bye, 382 Shin Dang Dong / Frances and Ginger Park ; illustrated by Yangsook Choi. Washington, D.C. : National Geographic Society, 2002. 0792279859 Ages 4-8 The Park sisters' story begins in Korea as Jangmi and her family pack-up and say good-bye to relatives and friends. Jangmi feels a sense of loss over leaving her culture, language, and homeland behind. The story ends optimistically as Jangmi and her family are warmly welcomed into American culture with an impromptu party of neighbors bringing food and friendship to their new home. Choi's muted and detailed illustrations are superb.
	Park, Linda Sue. Bee-bim bop! / by Linda Sue Park ; illustrated by Ho Baek Lee. New York : Clarion Books, c2005. Ages 2-6. Fun rhyming tale of making a favorite meal. Includes recipe and directions.
Korean Americans / Tiffany Peterson	Peterson, Tiffany. Korean Americans / Tiffany Peterson. Chicago, Ill. : Heinemann Library, c2003. 1403407355 (lib. bdg.) [We are America series] Ages 10+ Interesting look at reasons why some Koreans chose to immigrate. Introduces the history of Korean immigration as well as current immigration. Fabulous historical photos. Contents: One man's story: Jongha Han -- Korea -- The first immigrants -- Coming to the United States: the early years -- Living in the United States: the early years -- Moving off the plantations -- War and war brides -- Coming to the United States: recent years -- Living in the United States: recent years -- Customs and celebrations -- Family -- Korean foods -- One man's story: John Han today.
Bilingual Korean and English	Shin, Yung Sun. Cooper's Lesson / by Yung Sun Shin ; illustrated by Kim Cogan; Korean translation by Min Paek. San Fransisco : Children's Book Press, 2004. Ages 6-10. Biracial Cooper inappropriately deals with not understanding Korean. The experience eventually leads him to explore his feelings about being half Korean and not understanding much Korean. Shin's story overtly explores the feelings of children who don't speak the language of their immigrant parents and neighbors and leads to intergenerational understanding. Kim Cogan's oil illustrations wonderfully depict the story, but the whole book design is a little dark.
	Recorvits, Helen. My name is Yoon / Helen Recorvits ; pictures by Gabi Swiatkowska. New York : Frances Foster Books, 2003. Ages 4-10. Mischievous, Korean-born Yoon deals with starting school and learning English. She likes her name in Korean. It means shining wisdom. She is not so sure she likes YOON, her name written in English. The illustrations are stark, rich, and playful.
	Wong, Janet S. This next New Year / Janet S. Wong ; pictures by Yangsook Choi. New York : Frances Foster Books, 2000. Ages 2-8. Chinese/Korean American family celebrates the Lunar New Year. An author's note explains the significance of such new years traditions as tangerines, peaches, and fish. Tries a little hard in celebrating multiculturalism in the beginning, but the simple text is poetic and expresses a small boys hopes and dreams. The less realistic of Choi's illustrations are the most enjoyable.
	Yoo, Paula. Sixteen years in sixteen seconds : the Sammy Lee story / by Paula Yoo ; illustrations by Dom Lee. New York : Lee & Low Books, c2005. 158430247X Ages 6-12. Sammy Lee, the son of Korean immigrants, had many firsts. He was the first nonwhite student body president of his high school, the first Asian American to win an Olympic medal, and the first male diver to win consecutive gold medals. He also became a medical doctor in the Army during WWII and served in the Korean War. Sammy over came many prejudices. As a youth, he was only allowed to use the public pool one day a week, when it was open to people of color. Dom Lee's realistic illustrations look like old photographs.

Korean Americans Children's Books

Balgassi, Haemi. Peacebound trains / by Haemi Balgassi ; illustrated by Chris K. Soentpiet. New York : Clarion Books, c1996. 0395720931 Ages 6-10.

Sumi lives with her Korean grandmother. Her mother is away in the Army. One lonely day, as Sumi waits to watch a train pass, her grandmother tells her of her escape by train from war torn Seoul during the Korean war.

Bercaw, Edna Coe. Halmoni's day / Edna Coe Bercaw ; pictures by Robert Hunt. New York : Dial Books for Young Readers, 2000. Ages 6-10.

Jennifer's grandmother visits from Korea just in time for Grandparent's Day at school. Jennifer is afraid that her grandmother won't fit in. Hunt's illustrations are soft, expressive and realistic.

Choi, Sook Nyul. Halmoni and the picnic / Sook Nyul Choi ; illustrated by Karen M. Dugan. Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 1993. Ages 6-10.

Yunmi's grandmother, Halmoni, has just moved to New York City. Yunmi helps her grandmother make new friends and Halmoni shows her own graciousness and talents.

Choi, Sook Nyul. Yunmi and Halmoni's trip / Sook Nyul Choi ; illustrated by Karen Dugan. Boston : Houghton Mifflin Co., 1997. Ages 6-10.

Yunmi visits South Korea with her Halmoni. She worries that Halmoni won't want to return to America.

Choi, Yangsook. The Name Jar / Yangsook Choi. New York : Knopf, c2001. 0375906134 (lib. bdg.). Ages 4-7.

Unhei is starting school in America. Although she has a lovely Korean name that means "grace" she thinks maybe she would like a more American sounding name. Her classmates make a name jar and offers suggestions. This story is affirming of the multicultural experience. When Unhei complains about her name, saying that she doesn't want to be different, her mother counters, "You are different, Unhei....That's a good Thing!" Choi superbly illustrates her own story. The characters though simply painted have expressive faces.

Choi, Yangsook. New Cat / Yangsook Choi. New York : Frances Foster Books/Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1999. 0374355126. Ages 4-7.

"New Cat lived in a tofu factory in the Bronx in New York City." So begins the story about New Cat. When Mr. Kim first arrived in New York he went to the shelter and got a cat. Everyone said to Mr. Kim, "Oh, you have a new cat." Thus the cat was named and they settle into a comfortable routine at Mr. Kim's tofu factory. He should have called the cat Lucky, because the cat will help him out in unexpected ways. Now if only I could get some of Mr. Kim's tofu! Choi's playful illustrations enhance the tale.

Czech, Jan. An American face / by Jan M. Czech ; illustrated by Frances Clancy. Washington , DC : Child & Family Press, c2000. Ages 4-7.

A Korean boy, adopted by white parents thinks he will get a new face to match theirs when he becomes an American citizen. Custom borders around the illustration and text emphasize elements of the scene.

Czech, Jan. The coffee can kid / written by Jan M. Czech ; illustrated by Maurie J. Manning. Washington, DC : Child & Family Press, c2002. Ages 2-6.

A Korean American girl asks her adoptive dad to retell the story of her birth mother. Illustrations are dreamy and idealistic.

Heo, Yumi. Father's rubber shoes / Yumi Heo. New York : Orchard Books, c1995. Ages 4-8.

Yungsu is unhappy with his new life in America. One night his father tells him a story and Yungsu understands that his father wants the best for his family. The illustrations are oil paint, pencil, and collage.

Heo, Yumi. One afternoon / by Yumi Heo. New York : Orchard Books, c1994. Ages 4-8.

Minho and his mother spend a day in his city neighborhood. A comforting story of an ordinary afternoon. Heo's paintings look noisy, busy, and almost like a jigsaw puzzle.

Klingel, Cynthia. Korean Americans / Cynthia Klingel. Chanhassen, Minn. : Child's World, c2004. 1592960162 Ages 6-12.

Cynthia Klingel, in Korean Americans, focuses on a hundred years of immigration. She takes care to note differences between Japanese and Chinese immigrants. This book makes an effort to educate readers that Koreans are from Korea and they have a unique history, language, religions, and culture from other Asians. Notes many Korean American first (e.g. first doctor and citizen) and a number of famous citizens (e.g. Margaret Cho, Sammy Lee, etc.). There is a timeline, glossary, detailed index, and lists of additional resources.

Pak, Soyung. Dear Juno / by Soyung Pak ; illustrated by Susan Kathleen Hartung. New York : Viking, 1999. 0670882526 (hc.) Ages 4-6.

Juno receives a letter from his grandmother in Korea. They can't understand each others words, but they still communicate. This is a lovely intergenerational story that show love can travel far and doesn't require words to be expressed.

Pak, Soyung. Sumi's first day of school ever / by Soyung Pak ; illustrated by Joung Un Kim. New York : Viking, 2003. 067003522X. Ages 4-6.

Sumi, newly arrived from Korea, at first feels school is a lonely, mean, and scary place. She soon makes a friend and starts to feel at ease. Kim's illustrations are bright and simple.

Park, Frances and Ginger Park. Good-bye, 382 Shin Dang Dong / Frances and Ginger Park ; illustrated by Yangsook Choi. Washington, D.C. : National Geographic Society, 2002. 0792279859 Ages 4-8

The Park sisters' story begins in Korea as Jangmi and her family pack-up and say good-bye to relatives and friends. Jangmi feels a sense of loss over leaving her culture, language, and homeland behind. The story ends optimistically as Jangmi and her family are warmly welcomed into American culture with an impromptu party of neighbors bringing food and friendship to their new home. Choi's muted and detailed illustrations are superb.

Park, Linda Sue. Bee-bim bop! / by Linda Sue Park ; illustrated by Ho Baek Lee. New York : Clarion Books, c2005. Ages 2-6.

Fun rhyming tale of making a favorite meal. Includes recipe and directions.

Korean Americans / Tiffany Peterson

Peterson, Tiffany. Korean Americans / Tiffany Peterson. Chicago, Ill. : Heinemann Library, c2003. 1403407355 (lib. bdg.) [We are America series] Ages 10+

Interesting look at reasons why some Koreans chose to immigrate. Introduces the history of Korean immigration as well as current immigration. Fabulous historical photos.

Contents: One man's story: Jongha Han -- Korea -- The first immigrants -- Coming to the United States: the early years -- Living in the United States: the early years -- Moving off the plantations -- War and war brides -- Coming to the United States: recent years -- Living in the United States: recent years -- Customs and celebrations -- Family -- Korean foods -- One man's story: John Han today.

Bilingual Korean and English

Shin, Yung Sun. Cooper's Lesson / by Yung Sun Shin ; illustrated by Kim Cogan; Korean translation by Min Paek. San Fransisco : Children's Book Press, 2004. Ages 6-10.

Biracial Cooper inappropriately deals with not understanding Korean. The experience eventually leads him to explore his feelings about being half Korean and not understanding much Korean. Shin's story overtly explores the feelings of children who don't speak the language of their immigrant parents and neighbors and leads to intergenerational understanding. Kim Cogan's oil illustrations wonderfully depict the story, but the whole book design is a little dark.

Recorvits, Helen. My name is Yoon / Helen Recorvits ; pictures by Gabi Swiatkowska. New York : Frances Foster Books, 2003. Ages 4-10.

Mischievous, Korean-born Yoon deals with starting school and learning English. She likes her name in Korean. It means shining wisdom. She is not so sure she likes YOON, her name written in English. The illustrations are stark, rich, and playful.

Wong, Janet S. This next New Year / Janet S. Wong ; pictures by Yangsook Choi. New York : Frances Foster Books, 2000. Ages 2-8.

Chinese/Korean American family celebrates the Lunar New Year. An author's note explains the significance of such new years traditions as tangerines, peaches, and fish. Tries a little hard in celebrating multiculturalism in the beginning, but the simple text is poetic and expresses a small boys hopes and dreams. The less realistic of Choi's illustrations are the most enjoyable.

Yoo, Paula. Sixteen years in sixteen seconds : the Sammy Lee story / by Paula Yoo ; illustrations by Dom Lee. New York : Lee & Low Books, c2005. 158430247X Ages 6-12.

Sammy Lee, the son of Korean immigrants, had many firsts. He was the first nonwhite student body president of his high school, the first Asian American to win an Olympic medal, and the first male diver to win consecutive gold medals. He also became a medical doctor in the Army during WWII and served in the Korean War. Sammy over came many prejudices. As a youth, he was only allowed to use the public pool one day a week, when it was open to people of color. Dom Lee's realistic illustrations look like old photographs.