New Clothes for New Year's Day

New Clothes for New Year’s Day an account of New Year’s Day from a young Korean child’s point of view. The story is written as if it is coming directly from the mouth of a child and the illustrations are an accurate reproduction of Korean clothing and culture. “But the very best new things

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of all new things are… My new skirt and jacket! Mother made new clothes for New Year’s Day. Aren’t they beautiful?” The authenticity of the writing and illustrations invite the reader to gain an understanding of Korean traditions, while relating to a young audience. I also enjoyed the picture chart in the back of the book that identified each part of the child’s New Year’s Day ensemble and identified its name in Korean.

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I liked this book for two reasons. First, the language of the book is presented in a clear, effective manner that walks the reader through the main character's (no name given) experience with her new traditional Korean New Year's clothing. Secondly, the illustrations are very effectively drawn, and

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do a very effective job of telling the story from a visual perspective. Ornate and elaborate traditional Korean art is included as well. The main idea of this story is to share an important part of Korean culture to young readers of all backgrounds.

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Here in the USA - probably because there are more citizens of Chinese descent, than of any other Asian nation - we tend to refer to the lunar (or lunisolar) new year as 'Chinese New Year,' forgetting that it is a day that is celebrated in many cultures. I've done this myself, in thoughtless

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moments, so I was particularly glad to learn of Hyun-joo Bae's New Clothes for New Year's Day, a beautiful picture-book celebration of the Korean New Year, and the custom of dressing up, in new and very special clothing, that goes along with it.

A little girl - cute as a button - dresses herself in all the traditional items of clothing, from a crimson wrap-around silk skirt to a rainbow-striped jacket, made by her mother for the New Year, in Bae's delightful picture-book celebration of this special day. Many of the two-page spreads feature a simple narrative, in which the girl puts on a piece of clothing, on one page, and a full-page illustration of the little girl - in all her sartorial splendor - on the other. Others feature beautiful two-page illustrations, with a painting of the little girl superimposed upon a colorful, motif-decorated background.

The overall effect is simply charming, communicating both the girl's delight in her beautiful new clothing, and a sense of the importance of the day. A brief afterword gives more details, both about general New Year's celebrations in Korea, and about each specific piece of clothing mentioned in the story. Given the dearth of children's stories about Korean New Year, the appearance of this gem - originally published in Korea, and translated here - is particularly welcome! Many thanks to my goodreads friend, Kathryn, for making me aware of it!

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I was disappointed that the entire story is told before the author introduces the information that is necessary to understand why a child is so fixated on new clothing. If I were going to read this to students or my children I would go to the last pages and read the background information first, so

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that the children understood the importance of the new clothes for the new year. I also was disturbed by the illustrations and their portrayal of a young girl as a doll. I do not mean to be culturally insensitive, but I found it hard to read this story to my daughter and feel like she had gained something from the experience.

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Follow a little girl's journey in dressing up for New Year's, a very special day in her culture that warrants special occasion costumes. Easy to read and even easier for little kids to understand. What a great book to teach about different cultures in school.

It's New Year's Day and everything is new: new day, new morning and a new sun. The little girl's favorite new things are her new skirt and jacket her mom made. It's a crimson skirt, rainbow striped jacket, delicate socks and a red and gold hair ribbon. She teaches the reader how to put the skirt on

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correctly. Then, she puts on her socks, making sure the flowers are showing. Next, she puts on her jacket, which can be tied or left open. Finally, she puts in a headband with the red and gold ribbon. She hangs a charm and a lucky bag on her jacket string, for good luck. She's wearing everything new for a new day and a new year. In the back of the book there is a diagram with the correct words and definitions to all the little girls clothes and accessories. This book is perfect book to read when learning about a different culture. Many cultures have their own traditions and beliefs. I would recommend this book to grades k-3.

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I loved the way this book made me excited for things that are new and a new year coming soon.

This is a gorgeously illustrated book that shows a young Korean girl preparing for the Lunar New Year celebration. It includes beautiful Korean patterns and the process of dressing in the traditional Korean hanbok.