Books with author Yangsook Choi

The new kid in school needs a new name! Or does she?Being the new kid in school is hard enough, but what about when nobody can pronounce your name? Having just moved from Korea, Unhei is anxious that American kids will like her. So instead of introducing herself on the first day of school, she tells the class that she will choose a name by the following week. Her new classmates are fascinated by this no-name girl and decide to help out by filling a glass jar with names for her to pick from. But while Unhei practices being a Suzy, Laura, or Amanda, one of her classmates comes to her neighborhood and discovers her real name and its special meaning. On the day of her name choosing, the name jar has mysteriously disappeared. Encouraged by her new friends, Unhei chooses her own Korean name and helps everyone pronounce it—Yoon-Hey.

The new kid in school needs a new name! Or does she?Being the new kid in school is hard enough, but what about when nobody can pronounce your name? Having just moved from Korea, Unhei is anxious that American kids will like her. So instead of introducing herself on the first day of school, she tells the class that she will choose a name by the following week. Her new classmates are fascinated by this no-name girl and decide to help out by filling a glass jar with names for her to pick from. But while Unhei practices being a Suzy, Laura, or Amanda, one of her classmates comes to her neighborhood and discovers her real name and its special meaning. On the day of her name choosing, the name jar has mysteriously disappeared. Encouraged by her new friends, Unhei chooses her own Korean name and helps everyone pronounce it—Yoon-Hey.

The new kid in school needs a new name! Or does she?Being the new kid in school is hard enough, but what about when nobody can pronounce your name? Having just moved from Korea, Unhei is anxious that American kids will like her. So instead of introducing herself on the first day of school, she tells the class that she will choose a name by the following week. Her new classmates are fascinated by this no-name girl and decide to help out by filling a glass jar with names for her to pick from. But while Unhei practices being a Suzy, Laura, or Amanda, one of her classmates comes to her neighborhood and discovers her real name and its special meaning. On the day of her name choosing, the name jar has mysteriously disappeared. Encouraged by her new friends, Unhei chooses her own Korean name and helps everyone pronounce it—Yoon-Hey.

Halloween is coming. “What are you going to be?” the children ask one another. Kimin says he will be his grandfather. “Going as an old man is not very scary,” they tease. What the children don’t know is that Kimin’s grandfather was a Korean mask dancer. And Kimin doesn’t know that the mask holds a secret for him.With vibrant illustrations, Yangsook Choi joins Korean and American folk traditions in her story about a boy who finds a link to his grandfather, behind the mask. Behind the Mask is a 2007 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

"A long time ago in Korea, there was not enough light.It was before the sun and the moon had been created." So begins one of the most treasured folktales of Korea. Reminiscent of Little Red Riding Hood, this ancient tale reveals how a hungry tiger tries to trick a young boy and girl into thinking that he is their mother. But their sharp wits and a measure of good luck are enough to save the children and reunite them with their mother, high above in the sky. Together, they bring the first rays of sunlight and moonlight to the world below. Having heard this story told many times by her grandmother, Yangsook Choi now brings her own voice and breathtaking oil paintings to The Sun Girl and the Moon Boy. With them, she shares an important part of her childhood and the Korean tradition.

The new kid in school needs a new name! Or does she? Being the new kid in school is hard enough, but what about when nobody can pronounce your name? Having just moved from Korea, Unhei is anxious that American kids will like her. So instead of introducing herself on the first day of school, she tells the class that she will choose a name by the following week. Her new classmates are fascinated by this no-name girl and decide to help out by filling a glass jar with names for her to pick from. But while Unhei practices being a Suzy, Laura, or Amanda, one of her classmates comes to her neighborhood and discovers her real name and its special meaning. On the day of her name choosing, the name jar has mysteriously disappeared. Encouraged by her new friends, Unhei chooses her own Korean name and helps everyone pronounce it--"Yoon-Hey,"

Based on the author's childhood in South KoreaThe white peaches grown in Puchon are the best in all South Korea, and a rare treat for a little girl who lives in the town. She dreams of a peach orchard where she can play and eat as much of the delicious fruit as she wishes. Then one day, after weeks of heavy downpours, the sky begins to rain peaches. Yangsook finds herself in peach heaven - until she remembers the farmers who have lost their harvest, and decides she must help them.Paintings with scenes that evoke traditional South Korean landscapes accompany this lovingly told story from the author's childhood.

The new kid in school needs a new name! Or does she?Being the new kid in school is hard enough, but what about when nobody can pronounce your name? Having just moved from Korea, Unhei is anxious that American kids will like her. So instead of introducing herself on the first day of school, she tells the class that she will choose a name by the following week. Her new classmates are fascinated by this no-name girl and decide to help out by filling a glass jar with names for her to pick from. But while Unhei practices being a Suzy, Laura, or Amanda, one of her classmates comes to her neighborhood and discovers her real name and its special meaning. On the day of her name choosing, the name jar has mysteriously disappeared. Encouraged by her new friends, Unhei chooses her own Korean name and helps everyone pronounce it—Yoon-Hey.

"A long time ago in Korea, there was not enough light.It was before the sun and the moon had been created." So begins one of the most treasured folktales of Korea. Reminiscent of Little Red Riding Hood, this ancient tale reveals how a hungry tiger tries to trick a young boy and girl into thinking that he is their mother. But their sharp wits and a measure of good luck are enough to save the children and reunite them with their mother, high above in the sky. Together, they bring the first rays of sunlight and moonlight to the world below. Having heard this story told many times by her grandmother, Yangsook Choi now brings her own voice and breathtaking oil paintings to The Sun Girl and the Moon Boy. With them, she shares an important part of her childhood and the Korean tradition.

New Cat loves living in Mr. Kim's tofu factory, but she is frustrated because she has seen a mouse in the production room, where Mr. Kim doesn't allow her to go. One night, a door is left open and New Cat disobeys Mr. Kim's rule. As she chases the mouse, she is surprised to discover that a fire has broken out! Soon the fire department comes and the fire is brought under control. But where is New Cat? Then a bucket of tofu begins to meow, and a wet New Cat emerges, safe and heroic. In this sweet story about a feisty feline, Yangsook Choi uses a rich palette and straightforward text to illustrate the enduring bond between a pet and her person.

Sun is ready to leave his village in China for America, theplace known as Gum Saan, Gold Mountain. His father warnshim, though, that passage will not be easy. Because of the 1882Chinese Exclusion Act, new immigrants like Sun are detainedat Angel Island until they are called to take a difficult oralexam before they can "land" – leave Angel Island and goashore. On the boat, Sun had studied maps of his village andmemorized facts about his ancestors. But as the weeks pass indetainment, the map's compass points swirl in his memory, andSun worries that he will lose his direction and be turned away.The oil paintings are rich with historical details in this vividrecounting, based on the author's father-in-law's experiences, ofa disturbing chapter in Chinese American history.