A Piece of Home

Reviewed by: Carla McAlliste - New Gloucester Public Library., New Gloucester, Maine, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 27, 2017

Review

In Korea, Hee Jun is just like everyone else, just another little Korean boy, but when his family relocates to West Virginia, everything changes. He and his little sister, Se Ra, and his beloved Grandmother all have difficulties adjusting. Hee Jun cannot understand his teacher or schoolmates, Se Ra bites and kicks and Grandmother hangs her head, loses the sparkle in her eyes, and misses her beautiful mugunghwa shrubs that she grew in her garden back home. Very, very slowly things improve. Hee Jun begins to learn english and is eventually invited home by a playmate where he discovers a garden full of mugunghwa shrubs which his friend tells him are called Rose of Sharon in the U.S. Maybe a few slips of these familiar flowers, a piece of home, will cheer up Grandmother. This story could not be more timely. With immigrants arriving on our shores every day, and children here learning how to greet these people and make them feel welcome, this book shows that it can take time, but if we all take the right approach, these new citizens can begin to feel right at home. The illustrations are appealing, colorful and expressive. The text is such that the intended audience will probably need this one read to them.

Overall Book Score: very good