Year of Impossible Goodbyes by: Sook Nyul Choi

Ages: 10+

It is 1945, and the Japanese are ruling Korea. 10 year old Sookan lives with her mother, younger brother Inchun, her grandfather, and her Aunt Tiger in the northern part of Korea. Her father is away with the resistance movement, her three older brothers have been forced into labor camps in Manchuria, and her older sister has joined a convent. Sookan’s mother runs a sock factory, where the sock girls work to produce socks for the Japanese soldiers. Finally, the war between the Japanese and Korea ends. The Koreans were overjoyed to be freed from the Japanese. However, this happiness does not last long. The Russians have taken rule over the northern part of Korea. Sookan and her family must flee to the southern part of Korea, below the 38^th parallel. Sookan, her mother, and younger brother Inchun begin the dangerous journey to cross the boarder. At one point along the way, Sookan and Inchun get separated from their mother, and are left to fend for themselves. At a train station, an old man with a broom gives Sookan and Inchun information about how to cross the boarder to the American-ruled southern part of Korea. Will Sookan and Inchun make it safely across the boarder? Will their mother and the rest of their family make it safely to the other side of the 38^th parallel? Find out in Year of Impossible Goodbyes.

Year of Impossible Goodbyes was an enjoyable book. It was a quick read, and I couldn’t seem to put the book down. There was so much going on, and I wanted to see if Sookan and her family would make it safely over the 38^th Parallel boarder to the southern part of Korea. I like the fact that it was written from the point of view of a 10-year-old girl. This will help children relate to Sookan better. Children will see what it was like for a girl about their age during the war. The text in the story is very detailed and descriptive. The events of the book are described so well that I was able to make mental images of what was happening. There are also many facts about Korea and the war. The reader will learn a great deal about what was happening during this point of history. I like that the author included some Korean words that she then translated to English. This helps teach the reader more about the Korean culture. The characters in the book are developed well. I felt like I knew characteristics and the personality of most of the characters. There were so many events that occurred during the story, however the author was able to link them together very well. This book was very emotional. There are emotions from happiness to devastation. Sookan and her family went through so much, and I cannot imagine going through some of the things they went through. Sookan’s family was forced to give up family treasures. I cannot imagine giving up the most important and precious things to me. Also, Sookan, Inchun, and their mother had to endure periods of starvation and horrible living and traveling conditions. All the events and struggles they went through are unimaginable. The worries I had when I was 10 years old are incomparable to the worries and struggles that Korean families had to endure. I was amazed at how brave Sookan was during this time. She went through so much and was forced to “grow up” fast. Sookan and her family had great determination to cross the 38^th parallel to safety. This book gives the reader insights to the struggles faced in order to gain the freedom they were striving for. This book portrays the incredible love Sookan’s family had for one another. Overall, I thought this was a great book. I would recommend Year of Impossible Goodbyes to any reader looking for an informational and adventurous book!

Reading Year of Impossible Goodbyes right after So Far From the Bamboo Grove was beneficial for me as a reader. I appreciated how both authors were able to captivate their experiences during war. Reading from both the Japanese and Korean perspectives helped me understand the struggles both sides went through during the war. I learned so much about the war, and about both the Japanese and Korean cultures. Both books emphasized family. I think this is wonderful, because family is very important especially in the time of war. This shows what is really important in the long run in life. Both books also talked about courage and bravery. I don’t think any of the characters would have gotten through the struggles they faced without courage and bravery. These books were very powerful, and I would recommend reading them together. It is wonderful to be able to compare the two different perspectives of people who lived through the war, but from the two different sides of the war. These books show a point of view of a large piece of history that not many have experienced. I believe that students would be able to get into rich discussion about these books. I would highly recommend reading Year of Impossible Goodbyes and So Far From the Bamboo Grove.

Heckedy Peg by: Audrey Wood and illustrated by: Don Wood

Ages: Kindergarten – Grade 3

A poor woman lives with her seven children: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The mother goes off to the market, promising to return with individual gifts that each child requested. The mother tells the children to not let strangers into the house and not to touch the fire. A witch tricks the children to letting her into their house, and she turns them all into food. The mother is distraught when she returns home and her children are missing. Luckily, a blackbird leads her to the witch’s house. The mother tricks the witch to letting her in. The witch tells the mother if she can identify which food is which child, then the food will become her children once again. Will the mother be able to identify which child is which food? Find out in Heckedy Peg.

Heckedy Peg is a wonderful and intriguing children’s book. The text is a little longer, but it very creative. The book is a quick read, and children will be excited to see what happens next. The format of the book is unique. The text is placed in different places throughout the pages of the book. Also, some pages contain more illustrations than others. The illustrations in the book are outstanding. They are very detailed and expressive. The expressions on the faces of the characteristics are amazing. One creative detail about this book is that the blackbird is on almost every page. Children will enjoy looking for the blackbird. It is also fun to stop reading in the middle of the book and have children predict which child is which food. There are a few great lessons taught in this book. First, don’t talk to strangers. The second lesson I found in this book was to listen to your parents. This book is a great example of a mothers love for her children. Although this book may be a little scary for some children, it is a wonderful book. I would recommend a parent to look at it before reading it to their child to determine if it is too scary. Heckedy Peg is a heart-warming book that readers of all ages are sure to enjoy!

Ladybug Girl by: David Soman and Jacky Davis

Ages: 4+

Lulu, dressed in a red tutu with ladybug wings, is ready for fun. Her parents are busy, and her brother says she is too little to play baseball with him and his friends, so Lulu is left to play by herself. She wanders through the house and determines there is nothing to do. Venturing outside with her dog Bingo, Lulu finds a varity of things to do. Read about Lulu’s adventures outside in Ladybug Girl.

Ladybug Girl is a cute children’s book. There is a good amount of text in this book, however the text is pretty simple and the story is fast paced. I like that “Ladybug Girl” is written in red throughout the book. Other words are bolded or different sizes. This makes the words pop out from the page. The illustrations go along great with the text, showing a young girl brimming with imagination. They are colorful, detailed, and fun. Many children will be able to relate to the fact that sometimes they have to play by themselves and find things to do. Lulu uses her imagination to entertain herself. Children will learn that by using their imagination, they can find things to do, even in their own backyard. This story shows how everyday activities can inspire creativity and fun. This book may even inspire children to go on their own “adventures” to find things to do on their own. Because of the super hero concept and the activities Lulu performs, I think this book will appeal not only to girls, but also to boys. I believe that his book sends a message of self-confidence to children. Ladybug Girl is an entertaining and positive story that children are sure to enjoy!

The Shot Heard ‘Round the World by: Phil Bildner and illustrated by: C.F. Payne

Ages: 5-8

An unnamed young narrator looks back on the summer of 1951. His Brooklyn Dodgers appear to be headed toward the World Series. Then, the New York Yankees go on a winning streak, forcing a playoff between the Dodgers and Yankees to determine who would play the Yankees in the World Series. The playoff would consist of three games – the best of three would move on. On October 3, 1951, The Dodgers faced the Giants for the third, tie-breaking game. Who will win this critical game? Find out in The Shot Heard ‘Round the World.

The Shot Heard ‘Round the World is a great children’s book about the historical game in 1951. There is quiet a bit of text in this book, but it is very detailed and captures the excitement of the 1951 baseball season. The illustrations go along great with the text. Both capture the setting and the emotions felt by baseball fans. Readers will learn many facts about Dodgers baseball in the 1950s. They will learn names of some famous baseball players, the name of the stadium, and see images of landmarks in Brooklyn. A great feature of the book is 4 historical pictures of “the shot heard ‘round the world” on the back of the dust jacket. It will be fun for readers to see actual pictures from this historical event. Baseball fans will be sure to enjoy this book. Fans who lived during the 1950s will find this book wonderful to relive the events of the exciting baseball season. The Shot Heard ‘Round the World is a wonderful historical baseball book will be enjoyed by children and adults alike.

The Greatest Game Ever Played by: Phil Bildner and illustrated by: Zachary Pullen

Ages: 5+

Sam and his Pop love baseball, especially the New York Giants. However, in the spring Pop loses his job. His new job takes up a lot of time, so they are unable to attend games together. Then they get the worst news of all, the Giants were moving to California. Sam gets a job selling newspapers, and discovers football. Sam receives two tickets to the championship football game between the New York Giants and the Baltimore Colts, and invites his Pop to go with him. His Pop is not excited, but goes with Sam anyways. Sam, and surprisingly Pop, get into the game and cheer loud for the Giants. They end up having a great time at the game. Will this be the best game ever played? Find out in The Greatest game Ever Played.

The Greatest Game Ever Played recounts the 1958 NFL championship game. The writing in this book is wonderful. There is quite a bit of text, but it is detailed and captures all the excitement of the game. It is fast paced, and will keep the readers attention because they will want to find out what happens. The illustrations are wonderful, and are fun to look at while reading a great story. They match the energy of the text. The illustrations are very detailed, including the facial expressions of the characters. They capture the action throughout the game and the reactions of the fans. The author includes a note at the end of the book. It gives the history of the 1958 NFL championship game and its importance/significance to the growing popularity of professional football. This is a great addition to the book where the reader can learn more about the greatest game ever played. The father-son relationship bound together by sports is a warm, realistic portrayal. This is a story of great football, and the reader will learn many facts and famous names of football players. This is also a story of a father and son finding the time to have fun together and bond. I would recommend this book to any reader looking for a great sports book about football. The Greatest Game Ever Played can be enjoyed by both children and adults alike.

Charlie Anderson by: Barbara Abercrombie and illustrated by: Mark Graham

Ages: 4-9

One night, a grey, striped cat walked out of the woods and into the house where sisters Elizabeth and Sarah lived with their mother. The two girls adopt the cat, and name him Charlie. Charlie is only at their house at night, and during the day he goes into the woods. One night, the cat does not come to their house. The girls are very worried about Charlie. The next morning they go searching for their cat, and ask their neighbors if they have seen him. The girls discover a secret about Charlie at one of their neighbor’s houses – something they have in common with Charlie. Find out this surprise in Charlie Anderson.

Charlie Anderson is a great children’s picture book. The text is fairly simple with much detail. The illustrations in this book are beautiful. They are soft-toned and very realistic. They capture the details of the young girls and the cat. Several children will be able to relate to the topic of divorce present in the book. This is a wonderful book to discuss the topic of family units, specifically divorce or separation. Children will be able to find reassurance through this book that they are still loved even though they have two homes. This book shows the positive side of divorce, and shows there can be happiness. Children will also enjoy this book if they are cat lovers. This book gives the reader a sense of what it is like to love and be responsible for a pet. I also think this book is a great way to introduce the prediction strategy to children. Children will be able to predict what happened to Charlie. Readers are sure to love and be surprised by the ending! I would recommend Charlie Anderson to any reader looking for a good book with a surprise ending!

So Far From the Bamboo Grove by: Yoko Kawashima Watkins

Ages: 12+

Yoko Kawashima, an eleven year-old Japanese girl, lives in Korea during the end of World War II. As danger creeps closer to her hometown of Nanam, she, her sixteen year old sister Ko, and her mother must flee their home without her father or older brother, Hideyo. Her father worked for the government in another city, and her brother was at work. Their journey to Japan is a very long and difficult journey. They encounter many dangerous and scary moments. Finally, Yoko, Ko, and her mother make it to Japan. However, mother dies, and Yoko and Ko are left on their own. At the same time, Hideyo is making his journey to Japan alone. He is also facing many difficulties on the long and dangerous journey. Will Yoko and Ko be able to survive on their own? Will Hideyo make it to Japan and be reunited with his sisters? Find out the answers to these questions and read about the journey from Korea to Japan during WWII in So Far From the Bamboo Grove.

I really enjoyed So Far From the Bamboo Grove. It was a quick read, and kept my interest the whole time. I could not put the book down, because I wanted to find out what happened to Yoko and her family. The book was beautifully written with many details and events of WWII. The author does a great job of explaining events and making them come to life. I was able to create mental images in my head while reading throughout the entire book. I like that the author alternates the girls’ journey and Hideyo’s journey. I had never read a book about WWII, and it was neat to get the perspective from a young Japanese girl. The reader gets a close up look at life during wartime. I really like that the book is written from the author’s real life experiences. A great addition to the book is a letter from the author at the beginning of the book that tells why she chose to write this book – to tell her own life experiences. This helped me get into the book because I was interested in reading about what she experienced as a young girl. I think I enjoyed this book because of all of the emotions it evoked. This is one of the saddest books that I have ever read. I cannot imagine going through the difficulties and pain that Yoko and her family, along with several other families, went through. They didn’t eat for days, experienced injury, and experienced several other difficulties along the way. There are certain parts of the book that were especially emotional. The first is the fact that Yoko and her family were told they needed to leave their home right away. I don’t know what I would grab if I was told I needed to evacuate my house. It would be scary not knowing if you would ever see your house again. I also cannot imagine leaving without my father and brother, not knowing if I would ever see them again. Another part that sticks out is when Yoko, Ko, and her mother were on the train with the wounded people. The part that really struck me was when the baby was thrown out the window of the train. This was terribly sad, and cannot imagine seeing that. I was also very saddened when Yoko’s mother died in her arms. I cannot begin to imagine how I would react and handle that situation. Something that stuck out to me while reading this book is how amazing it is what we are capable of when it comes to life or death. It is amazing what we can endure and the lengths we will go to in order to survive. I cannot imagine going through the hardships Yoko went through as a young girl just trying to stay alive. A powerful aspect of their journey is the fact that Yoko, Ko, and her mother share what they have with other people. It is wonderful to see a family sharing what little they have even in the middle of a war. This book was a story of triumph, courage, love, and war. It was about family and surviving obstacles together. Love and family are such important factors for everyone, especially during war. Overall, this book was very emotional to read. The characters had to go through horrible situations over and over again. The fact that this story is based off of a true story makes it even more emotional. This was a very touching and inspiring story. It definitely showed me a different perspective of life. This book would be a great way to introduce students to WWII. They would be able to see what life was like for the Japanese, and how dangerous life was for them during war. War is a powerful topic to talk about, and I think many great discussions would occur in a classroom. So Far From the Bamboo Grove was a wonderful book that older children and adults would enjoy.