Reviews: (by author)

Recorvits, Helen. Illus. Gabi Swiatkowska. My Name is Yoon. New York: Frances Foster Books, 2003. $16.

This touching story reflects the universal feeling of immigrant students who are coming to terms with learning a new culture and language. Yoon, meaning Shining Wisdom in Korean, initially refuses to learn how to write her name in the English letters which stand alone, preferring the Korean symbols which seem to "dance together." Yoon experiments with different English words and is eventually befriended by a classmate. She ultimately embraces her Korean and American identities. The author cleverly takes the reader into the mind of this darling little girl. In addition, the illustrator draws the reader in with authentic and whimsical depictions of Yoon, her family, her school, and her imagination. This story lends itself to great discussions about cultural identity, about being the new kid, about Korean writing, and about the importance of names.

Highly recommend.
Virginia Loh.

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