nwasianweekly.com
Feb. 24, 2007

New Clothes for New Year’s Day, written and illustrated by Hyun-Joo Bae. Published by Kane/Miller Book Publishers, March 2007.

Today is New Year’s Day.

It’s a new year,

It’s a new day,

It’s the first day for the beginning of everything.

So begins this children’s story of a young Korean girl preparing for New Year’s Day as she dons a newly made hanbok (traditional Korean dress) to usher in the new year.

Illustrated by the author herself, the story is charming and simple and accompanied by images of traditional Korean accoutrements, like a pair of red-flower embroidered socks and the rainbow-colored jacket covering a plain-white dress. Bae even portrays the interior of traditional Korean rooms, depicting late Choson wooden chests and blue porcelain vases with an attention to detail that would please parents and antiquarians alike.

Like most children’s stories, the book derives much of its charm from perceiving the world afresh from a child’s eyes: Everything is new and fine and beautiful on New Year’s Day, and what better way to contemplate its possibilities than to wear clothes made especially for the occasion? The book ends with a special epiphany that captures the wonder and innocence of this holiday.

Bringing Asha Home, written by Uma Krishnaswami, illustrated by Jamel Akib. Published by Lee & Low Books, 2006.

In Bringing Asha Home, a 7-year-old boy named Arun waits for his adopted sister to arrive from India. The story is also about rakhi, a northern Indian holiday that celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters.

When Arun’s parents tell him that they will soon be adopting a baby from India, he is both ecstatic and filled with anxiety. Arun must wait what seems like an agonizingly long time for Asha to arrive. When he asks his parents why they must wait so long, Arun’s father replies, “When you adopt a baby from one country and bring her to another, there are many government forms to fill out and laws to follow.” He passes the time by folding paper airplanes to give to Asha when she arrives. Krishnaswami writes in the author’s note that the story was inspired in part by her friends’ real-life adoption stories.

Filled with heartfelt images and engaging dialogue, this story of patience and understanding is sure to be a wonderful bedtime story for youngsters and their siblings.

Hiromi’s Hands, written and illustrated by Lynne Barasch. Published by Lee & Low Books, March 2007.

In Hiromi’s Hands, a daughter yearns to be a sushi chef just like her father.

The story begins in Japan, where Hiromi’s father rises from humble beginnings to become the apprentice of a well-known sushi chef in Tokyo. After several years of arduous training, Hiromi’s father immigrates to New York, where he works day and night before opening his own restaurant, Akasaka. It isn’t long before Hiromi asks her father to teach her the art of making sushi, even though Japanese tradition does not encourage girls to become sushi chefs.

The delectably rendered images of sushi rolls — from the meticulously wrapped negi maguro (scallion and tuna) to the brightly colored balls of ikura (salmon roe) — are enough to pique the appetite of the youngest sushi connoisseur. The author’s note provides a brief history of sushi that is both informative and insightful.

Paul Kim can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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