Publication
Imprint: New York : Speak, 2002, ©2001. Responsibility: An Na. OCLC Number: 44703366. Physical: Text : 1 volume : 160 pages ; 22 cm. Features: Includes author questions.
Call number
YA-Fic / An Na
ISBN
9780142500279
Original publication date
2001
Collections
CSS Library Notes
Description: A young Korean girl and her family find it difficult to learn English and adjust to life in America.
FY2019 /
FY2019 /
Physical description
160 p.; 22 cm
Awards
National Book Award (Finalist — Young People's Literature — 2001)
William Allen White Children's Book Award (Nominee — Grades 6-8 — 2003-2004)
Vermont Golden Dome Book Award (Nominee)
Gateway Readers Award (Nominee — 2004)
Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature (Winner — Youth Literature — 2003)
Printz Award (Winner — 2002)
The White Ravens (2002)
Isinglass Teen Read Award (Nominee — 2003)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 2002)
CCBC Choices (2001)
Notable Children's Book (2002)
Rise: A Feminist Book Project for Ages 0-18 (Selection — Young Adult — 2002)
OYAN Book Rave (2002)
Description
A young Korean girl and her family find it difficult to learn English and adjust to life in America.
Language
Original language
English
Similar in this library
User reviews
LibraryThing member JasmineW
A Step from Heaven is a printz award winning book by An Na. Young Ju describes her life and experiences of moving to America. America is known as heaven to her. She speaks about the barriers with trying to learn english all the way until she grows up and goes to college. Will she learn English? Was
The first idea I had to do with this book is for my students to research Korea. The students should find out about their culture, foods, clothing, language, music, etc. to compare with America. As a class, we will bring all our information together on a venn diagram. The venn diagram will be Korea's similarities and differences from America. We will discuss and come to the conclusion of how Young Ju had to adapt to "our" differences. The next idea will be for the students to write a persuasive paper 1-2 pages convincing Koreans to move to America. The student must include some of the information from our venn diagram. The students' should begin their paper with opening sentences of why America is a good place to move to. Next, include reason numbers 1-3 with 3 supporting details with each reason. Finally, conclude why America is a great place to move to. We will partner share our persuasive papers.
At first being a book about a Korean girl really didn't interest me; however, she was speaking about her experience of moving to America, so I decided to read it. I thought the book was okay. I rate it 3 stars. I really didn't get into it until the very end. The girl's dad was an alcoholic, and he got very abusive towards the end. My mouth sort of dropped to what was happening. I was glad to know that Young Ju was soon going to college, and she had a scholarship, so she didn't have to worry about paying. Hopefully, her move to America was really "A Step Closer to Heaven." And, I think it was since she was able to get a good education here and go to college. I believe the book is good to share with middle school students, so they can understand emigration and how that process is for some students.
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moving to America a good thing? Did it help her get "closer to heaven?" You must read to see how it goes. The first idea I had to do with this book is for my students to research Korea. The students should find out about their culture, foods, clothing, language, music, etc. to compare with America. As a class, we will bring all our information together on a venn diagram. The venn diagram will be Korea's similarities and differences from America. We will discuss and come to the conclusion of how Young Ju had to adapt to "our" differences. The next idea will be for the students to write a persuasive paper 1-2 pages convincing Koreans to move to America. The student must include some of the information from our venn diagram. The students' should begin their paper with opening sentences of why America is a good place to move to. Next, include reason numbers 1-3 with 3 supporting details with each reason. Finally, conclude why America is a great place to move to. We will partner share our persuasive papers.
At first being a book about a Korean girl really didn't interest me; however, she was speaking about her experience of moving to America, so I decided to read it. I thought the book was okay. I rate it 3 stars. I really didn't get into it until the very end. The girl's dad was an alcoholic, and he got very abusive towards the end. My mouth sort of dropped to what was happening. I was glad to know that Young Ju was soon going to college, and she had a scholarship, so she didn't have to worry about paying. Hopefully, her move to America was really "A Step Closer to Heaven." And, I think it was since she was able to get a good education here and go to college. I believe the book is good to share with middle school students, so they can understand emigration and how that process is for some students.
Show Less
LibraryThing member bluemopitz
I really enjoyed this book. Seeing immigration to America through the eyes of a little girl was very interesting. I especially liked the way she sounded out new words in English, "he says to call him Uhing Kel Thim," which we later see her understand as Uncle Tim. The tales of domestic abuse and
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gender stereotyping are saddening and it made me very happy when the mother found the strength to get away from the father. This could be used curricularly when teaching about immigration, the struggles of finding one's place in a new culture, or about domestic abuse and gender roles. Show Less
LibraryThing member ewyatt
The book is written in a series of episodes in Young Ju's life as her family moves to America and tries to adjust to their new life. There are a lot of issues addressed in the book about the role of girls and boys in the culture, dealing with physical abuse, and what it is like to be an immigrant
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in America. Show Less
LibraryThing member bethknee
This book is great. It's very honest and does a good job portraying the life of 2nd gen Korean kids.
LibraryThing member shifrack00
Felt like I was reading underwater. Fresh take on an immigrants' point of view, coming to America. Each chapter seemed like it's own story, and the action did not rise as much as float to a conclusion, that was not completely satisfying.
LibraryThing member Rennifred
This is one of the most beautiful and poignant books I have read in any category. Although it is a young adult novel, anyone who loves to read would enjoy this book.
The format for the novel is unusual. Each chapter is told from the viewpoint of the main character, from her earliest memory through
Each chapter is like a short story, very tight and spare. Although there is no traditional narrative story, there are strong themes running through the book to give it forward momentum and a satisfying ending.
The format for the novel is unusual. Each chapter is told from the viewpoint of the main character, from her earliest memory through
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her last day at home before leaving for college. Each chapter is like a short story, very tight and spare. Although there is no traditional narrative story, there are strong themes running through the book to give it forward momentum and a satisfying ending.
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LibraryThing member LibraryOMidas
Korean girl, Young Ju, is told that she is moving to America in the beginning of this book. Each chapter is written from her point of view and is put together as a bunch of short stories rather than a continous narrative. This book takes on such serious topics as immigration, alcoholism, child and
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domestic abuse. With all that it undertakes it is truly a book that I will remember for a long time. Show Less
LibraryThing member librarymediaman
In this very intense story, the protagonist's abusive father gets worse and worse and begins to regularly beat her mother. The situation explodes when he finally turns his hand against his own daughter. But a poignant ending reminds the reader that even the abuser is a person with potential and
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value and the capacity to love. Show Less
LibraryThing member emithomp
At only 4, Young Ju immigrates to the US with her parents.
Sad, hopeful, inspiring are all good ways to describe this book. It clearly shows how much work goes into moving to a new country and all the struggles that are part of that process. It is beautifully and meticulously written. The
This lovely book is a good choice for any high school or public library, and would be very useful in a social studies unit on immigration.
Sad, hopeful, inspiring are all good ways to describe this book. It clearly shows how much work goes into moving to a new country and all the struggles that are part of that process. It is beautifully and meticulously written. The
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transliteration of what Young Ju hears before she learns English is especially interesting. The author keeps to Young Ju's point of view even when things start to go wrong, and it is very moving to hear the thoughts of a small child who does not fully understand what her parents are dealing with. It is even more striking as the character gets older and realization dawns.This lovely book is a good choice for any high school or public library, and would be very useful in a social studies unit on immigration.
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LibraryThing member FAMeulstee
A young Korean girl, Young Ju, emigrates with her partens to the United States in search for a better life. Her parents struggle to make enough money to survive and Young Ju has to adept to the american way of life, while at home she has to speak Korean. She feels trapped between two cultures. Her
A beautiful written story about immigrants struggling to become accepted in a new country. All seen through Young Ju's eyes, written in short chapters in wich is told about a day or part of a day of her life.
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father gets abusive and starts drinking because of his unablility to adapt in a strange culture.A beautiful written story about immigrants struggling to become accepted in a new country. All seen through Young Ju's eyes, written in short chapters in wich is told about a day or part of a day of her life.
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LibraryThing member mathqueen
A Step From Heaven recounts the story of Ju and her family as they immigrate to Mi Gook in hopes of a better life. The family struggles financially and personally as they attempt to go through the acculturation process in America. Immigration is one of the most significant changes a human can
Library Implications: At its most general level, this is a book about immigration. There are several underlying themes related to family that almost every reader could identify with: financial struggles, employment concerns, verbal and physical abuse, and parental abandonment. You could also discuss the struggle adolescents go through to make new friends but hide their short-comings. At the end of the story, it is discovered that Ju’s mother comes from a wealthy family. It becomes apparent that Apa felt very insecure about his ability to provide adequately for his wife. Older students could also examine the role social status plays in the interactions of people.
References:
Kim, Saekyung; Gaa, John; Swank, Paul; Liberman, Dov. (1998). Identity Transformation of Korean Immigrants. Texas: University of Huston.
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experience, and is even more traumatic for adults. Erik Erikson’s human development theory divides a person’s life into stages, each one building on the previous stage. This theory spans from infancy throughout adulthood and to death. When an adult immigrates, the feeling of up-rootedness and loss of identity is sometimes overwhelming. This feeling of loss has been found to be greater for men than women. (Kim, Gaa, Swank, and Liberman, 1998). I felt this struggle was portrayed very accurately through the actions of Apa. The scene in the Immigration office really contrasts Ju’s acculturation with that of her father. It could be argued that Ju holds a power over her father in that instance and he can feel it as he relies on her for information. The other scene where this feeling of dissimilation occurs is when he tells Ju she is too American. At that point, it is more than evident that Apa is not regaining a sense of security or identity in America. Library Implications: At its most general level, this is a book about immigration. There are several underlying themes related to family that almost every reader could identify with: financial struggles, employment concerns, verbal and physical abuse, and parental abandonment. You could also discuss the struggle adolescents go through to make new friends but hide their short-comings. At the end of the story, it is discovered that Ju’s mother comes from a wealthy family. It becomes apparent that Apa felt very insecure about his ability to provide adequately for his wife. Older students could also examine the role social status plays in the interactions of people.
References:
Kim, Saekyung; Gaa, John; Swank, Paul; Liberman, Dov. (1998). Identity Transformation of Korean Immigrants. Texas: University of Huston.
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LibraryThing member ithilwyn
I loved reading this book. An Na deals beautifully with the culture clash that develops within families of Asian immigrants.
LibraryThing member ht_youngadult
Absolutely beautiful writing and a tear-jerking story. The abuse component particularly hit home for me.
LibraryThing member cassiusclay
personal response: This is a very powerful story and I appreciate the no-holds barred truth that the story contains, but I didn't have an easy time reading some of the elements, such as the domestic abuse. I do appreciate the honesty and truth of it. This story crosses many cultural lines and is
grades 8 - 12
curricular connections:
Class reading and discussion
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not simply limited to a Korean immigrant family. It is a great example of the qualities that natives of any country take for granted, and is especially relevant as a critique of the 'open-arms' of the US.grades 8 - 12
curricular connections:
Class reading and discussion
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LibraryThing member ktextor
This book is one of great strength and hardship. Young Ju is a girl who moves from Korea to the U.S. with her family. As she tries to learn how to become a young girl in America her father wants nothing but her to stay the way a good Korean girl should act and behave. Her mother works two jobs
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while the father looses his and begins drinking. Young Ju's brother begins disappearing throughout the night and no longer thinks school is important. Soon Young Ju's mother is being beat by her father and Young Ju has the chance to save her mother from what may be death. A very touching story and one that should be looked at to a girl who stands up for what is just. Show Less
LibraryThing member carladeville
The book is a very good read. The many situations that occur are prevalent in today’s young adult lives. The book touches on issues that are usually kept quiet behind closed doors. The author does a wonderful job of bringing out the domestic violence and child abuse in a simple conclusive way
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that is subtle. At first the issues seem to be only adjusting to America with differences in customs and culture. The story soon comes alive with what one would suspect occurs in American society and not other cultures. Domestic violence is across all cultures and backgrounds. This book presents the picture with tact and through the eyes of children. Young adults would definitely understand the issues better after reading this story. Show Less
LibraryThing member shelf-employed
In this contemporary realistic fiction tale, Young Ju emigrates with her parents from Korea to the United States in search of a better life. Young Ju struggles to adapt to her new country, starting school and learning a new language. Her life is further complicated by the arrival of a new brother,
Review:
An Na’s A Step From Heaven is a Young Adult title that will appeal to teens on many levels. The book is the 2002 Michael J. Printz Award winner for Young Adult Literature, and a finalist for the National Book Award. Fictional Young Ju tells the story of her early childhood in Korea, her emigration to the United States (Mi Gook), and her gradual acculturation to her new country. Much of the story takes place during her teen years, making it appealing to those readers. The setting is the California coast.
The novel succeeds on several levels. It is at once multicultural, contemporary, and controversial. Young Ju is a Korean immigrant. None of her family speaks English upon arrival in the US. Although Young Ju, and her brother Joon (born after their immigration) grow up to speak English and learn American customs, her parents, Uhmma and Apa remain closer to their Korean upbringing. Young Ju is torn between the two worlds. When an American friend lends her a small amount of money, her Uhmma is appalled. Young Ju explains that in America “it is fine to borrow money from friends.” “Stop that, Uhmma says. We are Korean. Do not forget.” Korean words and the broken English of her parents and relatives are common throughout the book, adding to its authenticity.
A Step from Heaven also reflects contemporary issues for teens. Young Ju is at times powerless, at times rebellious, like most teens. She cannot escape the poverty and violence of her home, yet she manages to rebel in small ways. In second grade, when she is jealous of the attention that her new brother receives, she crosses her fingers behind her back and tells her teacher, “My brother. He die.” She enjoys the flowers, gifts and attention she receives. When her mother asks why they have received flowers and a card expressing sympathy for “their loss,” Young Ju explains that she lost the spelling bee. Later, as a teen, Young Ju spends forbidden time with her American friend, Amanda. She lies and tells her Apa that she is at the library. She is embarrassed by her family’s poor neighborhood and smoke-spewing station wagon.
The story is also controversial. Young Ju’s father, Apa, is an abusive alcoholic. Young Ju watches helplessly as her father sinks lower and lower into his vices, beating Uhmma,hitting, Young Ju, losing jobs, and staying out all night. An Na, however, ensures that Apa’s strengths are shown as well as his weaknesses. He plays "monster" with Young Ju and Joon. He mourns the death of his mother. Young Ju recalls Apa teaching her to jump in the waves. The reader is allowed to draw his own conclusion about Apa.
A Step From Heaven tells a story of hope and perseverance without being preachy. Her mother, Uhmma, is Young Ju's long-suffering supporter and ally, but in the story's climax, it is Young Ju who comes to her mother's aid. In the end, hopeful change occurs not only for Young Ju, but for her mother and brother as well. They rise above their circumstances and suceed in their new homeland, California, "a step from heaven."
One annoying feature of the novel is the peculiar punctuation. The story is told as Young Ju’s recollections, however, the use of quotation marks seems to be irregular. Sometimes direct quotes are within quotation marks, and sometimes they are not..
Overall, A Step From Heaven is a powerful story about family life, coming of age, and one’s inner power to overcome adversity. A great read for young adults.
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poverty, and an abusive alcoholic father. The story follows Young Ju from a very young girl to adulthood.Review:
An Na’s A Step From Heaven is a Young Adult title that will appeal to teens on many levels. The book is the 2002 Michael J. Printz Award winner for Young Adult Literature, and a finalist for the National Book Award. Fictional Young Ju tells the story of her early childhood in Korea, her emigration to the United States (Mi Gook), and her gradual acculturation to her new country. Much of the story takes place during her teen years, making it appealing to those readers. The setting is the California coast.
The novel succeeds on several levels. It is at once multicultural, contemporary, and controversial. Young Ju is a Korean immigrant. None of her family speaks English upon arrival in the US. Although Young Ju, and her brother Joon (born after their immigration) grow up to speak English and learn American customs, her parents, Uhmma and Apa remain closer to their Korean upbringing. Young Ju is torn between the two worlds. When an American friend lends her a small amount of money, her Uhmma is appalled. Young Ju explains that in America “it is fine to borrow money from friends.” “Stop that, Uhmma says. We are Korean. Do not forget.” Korean words and the broken English of her parents and relatives are common throughout the book, adding to its authenticity.
A Step from Heaven also reflects contemporary issues for teens. Young Ju is at times powerless, at times rebellious, like most teens. She cannot escape the poverty and violence of her home, yet she manages to rebel in small ways. In second grade, when she is jealous of the attention that her new brother receives, she crosses her fingers behind her back and tells her teacher, “My brother. He die.” She enjoys the flowers, gifts and attention she receives. When her mother asks why they have received flowers and a card expressing sympathy for “their loss,” Young Ju explains that she lost the spelling bee. Later, as a teen, Young Ju spends forbidden time with her American friend, Amanda. She lies and tells her Apa that she is at the library. She is embarrassed by her family’s poor neighborhood and smoke-spewing station wagon.
The story is also controversial. Young Ju’s father, Apa, is an abusive alcoholic. Young Ju watches helplessly as her father sinks lower and lower into his vices, beating Uhmma,hitting, Young Ju, losing jobs, and staying out all night. An Na, however, ensures that Apa’s strengths are shown as well as his weaknesses. He plays "monster" with Young Ju and Joon. He mourns the death of his mother. Young Ju recalls Apa teaching her to jump in the waves. The reader is allowed to draw his own conclusion about Apa.
A Step From Heaven tells a story of hope and perseverance without being preachy. Her mother, Uhmma, is Young Ju's long-suffering supporter and ally, but in the story's climax, it is Young Ju who comes to her mother's aid. In the end, hopeful change occurs not only for Young Ju, but for her mother and brother as well. They rise above their circumstances and suceed in their new homeland, California, "a step from heaven."
One annoying feature of the novel is the peculiar punctuation. The story is told as Young Ju’s recollections, however, the use of quotation marks seems to be irregular. Sometimes direct quotes are within quotation marks, and sometimes they are not..
Overall, A Step From Heaven is a powerful story about family life, coming of age, and one’s inner power to overcome adversity. A great read for young adults.
Show Less
LibraryThing member MrsDayClass
Great, fun, suspenseful, short read.
LibraryThing member EuronerdLibrarian
Didn't especially like the style of writing. Felt like the kind of book you get assigned in school.
LibraryThing member AshleighEvans
This is a book about a girl named Young Ju who moves from Korea to America, away from Halmoni, her grandmother, when she is four years old. She struggles at school with the language barrier and it doesn’t help that her parents insist she speaks Korean at home and disapprove of her friendship with
Because this book deals with the immigration of a Korean family, it would be a good idea to study Korea and their language since it is heavily infused into the book. The terms of family members would need to be researched in order to avoid confusion. Immigration is another topic that could be discussed. Students could research what immigration is like for families in modern times and how that has changed from long ago and what struggles families face. The topic of abuse could also be discussed and what can be learned from Young Ju’s bravery. The culture of Korea would be another thing to research. Because Young Ju is a girl, she would have been denied many privileges in Korea but in America she had more choices. To integrate social studies, students could compare women’s rights of the two countries.
While reading this book, I was reminded of two books; Ellen Foster and Chinese Cinderella. Ellen Foster is abused by her father who is also an alcoholic and behaves similarly to Apa. He is either beating his family or leaving the house for days at a time. I was reminded of Chinese Cinderella because although Adeline was not beaten by her father she was abused in the sense that she was neglected which is sometimes as bad as physical abuse. Adeline was also very attached to her grandparents just like Young Ju was. Although it was confusing to figure out who the characters were at first since they are all called by their Korean names, I liked this story. It was so sad and evoked strong emotions, but it ended happily and the family was able to start fresh without anyone to weigh them down. It was absolutely believable and I know that some adolescents could find hope in this story and relate to the characters. I would recommend this book to middle grade students.
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Amanda, an American girl. Her father is an abusive man who often beats his children and his wife. Joon, Young Ju’s brother, gets more freedom than she does and is offered more choices, which Young Ju finds extremely unfair. When Apa, Young Ju’s father, severely beats his wife, Young Ju decides to call the police to save her mother’s life. Apa is jailed and leaves with another woman the next day never to be seen again. At first Young Ju’s mother is angry at her for turning Apa away from them, but eventually she realizes their family is better without him. When Young Ju goes to college several years later, her family is off to a much better start in America. Because this book deals with the immigration of a Korean family, it would be a good idea to study Korea and their language since it is heavily infused into the book. The terms of family members would need to be researched in order to avoid confusion. Immigration is another topic that could be discussed. Students could research what immigration is like for families in modern times and how that has changed from long ago and what struggles families face. The topic of abuse could also be discussed and what can be learned from Young Ju’s bravery. The culture of Korea would be another thing to research. Because Young Ju is a girl, she would have been denied many privileges in Korea but in America she had more choices. To integrate social studies, students could compare women’s rights of the two countries.
While reading this book, I was reminded of two books; Ellen Foster and Chinese Cinderella. Ellen Foster is abused by her father who is also an alcoholic and behaves similarly to Apa. He is either beating his family or leaving the house for days at a time. I was reminded of Chinese Cinderella because although Adeline was not beaten by her father she was abused in the sense that she was neglected which is sometimes as bad as physical abuse. Adeline was also very attached to her grandparents just like Young Ju was. Although it was confusing to figure out who the characters were at first since they are all called by their Korean names, I liked this story. It was so sad and evoked strong emotions, but it ended happily and the family was able to start fresh without anyone to weigh them down. It was absolutely believable and I know that some adolescents could find hope in this story and relate to the characters. I would recommend this book to middle grade students.
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LibraryThing member butterkidsmom
Story of the struggles of a Korean immigrant family in America
LibraryThing member ShouldIReadIt
When Young Ju is 4 yrs. old, her family left Korea to settle in the U.S. As years pass, and Young Ju grows into a teenager, she struggles to keep her Korean life separate from her American life while her younger brother, born in the U.S., doesn't feel any allegiances at all to the Korean part of
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his life. Along with struggling with the language, customs, and fitting in, Young Ju's abusive father creates walls of pressure for the family. Sometimes Young Ju wishes she could float away towards the real heaven she thought America would be for her, instead of this new life which is supposed to be just a step away from it. Show Less
LibraryThing member MsLangdon
Part D Multicultural
Na, A. (2001). A step from heaven. Asheville, NC: Front Street.
Young Ju and her family move from Korea to America when she is only four years old. Their family struggles with the adjustment of living in a new country and of speaking a new language. Her father and mother work
Throughout the novel, we see Young Ju begin to assimilate and adjust to the new culture as she grows. In addition to her acculturation, she must deal with the problems that come with an abusive, alcoholic father.
The story has a slow beginning, but as the main character ages, there is a stronger pull to see what will happen next in her life. The language changes and becomes more clear as Young Ju learns English. The first few chapters have short, choppy sentences with many words in Korean and the later chapters have sentences that are more complex and clear with less words in Korean. This gives the reader a sense of connection and understanding to Young Ju’s feelings as she adjusts to her new culture. An Na makes it easy to sympathize with the struggles of immigrants as they begin a new life in a new country, as well as being easy to sympathize with the struggles of living with an abusive father. Ages 9-12.
Na, A. (2001). A step from heaven. Asheville, NC: Front Street.
Young Ju and her family move from Korea to America when she is only four years old. Their family struggles with the adjustment of living in a new country and of speaking a new language. Her father and mother work
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multiple, low-paying, labor-intensive jobs that keep them really busy. Young Ju, as well as her brother, are expected to do well in school and learn, because that is their future. Throughout the novel, we see Young Ju begin to assimilate and adjust to the new culture as she grows. In addition to her acculturation, she must deal with the problems that come with an abusive, alcoholic father.
The story has a slow beginning, but as the main character ages, there is a stronger pull to see what will happen next in her life. The language changes and becomes more clear as Young Ju learns English. The first few chapters have short, choppy sentences with many words in Korean and the later chapters have sentences that are more complex and clear with less words in Korean. This gives the reader a sense of connection and understanding to Young Ju’s feelings as she adjusts to her new culture. An Na makes it easy to sympathize with the struggles of immigrants as they begin a new life in a new country, as well as being easy to sympathize with the struggles of living with an abusive father. Ages 9-12.
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LibraryThing member loafhunter13
A young girl describes her family’s bittersweet experience in the United States after their emigration from Korea. While going up and up into the sky on the flight from Korea to California, four-year old Young Ju concludes that they are their way to heaven – America is heaven! After they
An Na’s strike language authentically reflects the process of acculturation as Young Ju grows from a child to an adult. The subject matter, while interesting, is nothing new. The writing style reflecting Young Ju’s growth is fascinating and a nice literary device. It is an interesting read though the messages of the book never really assert themselves. The book has emotional impact and resonates with a variety of readers but doesn't completely follow through on potential.
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arrive, however, Young Ju and her parents and little brother struggle in their new world, weighed down by the difficulty learning English, their insular family life, and the traditions of the country they left behind. An Na’s strike language authentically reflects the process of acculturation as Young Ju grows from a child to an adult. The subject matter, while interesting, is nothing new. The writing style reflecting Young Ju’s growth is fascinating and a nice literary device. It is an interesting read though the messages of the book never really assert themselves. The book has emotional impact and resonates with a variety of readers but doesn't completely follow through on potential.
Show Less