Summary
Within this story, a young girl, Yoon and her family moved from Korea to America. Yoon struggled to accept her life in America and misses her home country. Her family try to support her and begin to teach her English. Throughout the book Yoon struggles with her identity and chose to be called other words within the English language such as: cat, bird, or cupcake. After learning more about America Yoon begins to make friends and accepts herself and her identity and starts to use her name, Yoon.
Theme(s):
Identity, acceptance, appreciation
Personal Response
I thought this book was wonderfully composed as it touches on the struggles that are faced from students that are not native to America. It takes a lot for a child to learn to adjust and be comfortable in a new place, especially one that does not speak or write their native language. This book is able to highlight the struggles that are prevalent but also show how they can be overcome. Although it takes time, it gets better for students in this position as they learn to adjust to their new area.
Teaching Ideas
This book can be used in the classroom to introduce students to different cultures and backgrounds that people come from. The book would build awareness of what problems arise for immigrant students like Yoon. This will allow students to understand a different perspective and struggles that students face if they are not from America. Students will be able to list difficulties and think about ways they can overcome them, while discussing ways to support people who are adjusting to a new place.
Recommended Reading Level
Grade 01, Grade 02, Grade 03
