When My Name Was Keoko

When My Name was Keoko is a chapter book about a young Korean girl, Sun-Hee, and her brother, Tae-yul, who are growing up in Korea during Japanese rule. The message of the story is determination and hope. I really enjoyed this story. One thing that I enjoyed about the story was that the chapters

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alternated between Sun-Hee's and Tae-yul's points-of-view. I liked getting the opportunity to view the story from two perspectives. For example, when Sun-Hee mistakenly thought her uncle was in danger, we read about it from her perspective, and then in the next chapter we read about the same situation from Tae-yul's perspective. A second thing that I really liked about this book was the "Note on Korean terms of address." This listed the addresses for "father," "mother," "older brother," "aunt," "uncle," and "dear." I liked that the author added this note before the story began because then she did not have to break neither Sun-Hee nor Tae-Yul's character to explain the terms of address that were a part of their culture.

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This was a very moving book, and I felt it was a benefit to have it as an audio book, since I could really hear the two different voices of both characters. It was very informative about that time period in Japan's and Korea's histories-- since it is a juvenile book I think it's a fantastic way for

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students to understand this part of history as well.

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This was a wonderful book. It tells a story about World War ll from a new perspective. Park uses an effective strategy of alternating narrators to tell different sides of the same story. The voices of Sun-hee and Tae-yul are distinctive. The characters must straddle two worlds and learn to function

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in both. They are proud to be Korean, yet have always been under Japanese influence and do not know what life was like before the occupation. The fears, frustrations, pride, and hopes of the characters allow the reader to feel empathy and wonder what it would be like to live in an occupied land. The descriptions of their first contact with Americans and American goods (rice and gum for example) are humorous.

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Tells the story of a family in occupied Korea in World War II, when the Japanese tried to suppress Korean culture.

Personal Response: I enjoyed reading a different story about World War 2, and felt this book did a fantastic job relaying the message. I liked the use of alternating narrators, Sun-hee and her brother, Tae-yul, to establish different perspectives on the story. One element that stood out to me was

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the explanation of characters. Though this was very brief I felt it added a nice touch for ignorant people like me. The cultural authenticity of this story is also very apparent and appreciated. However, I didn't appreciate what felt like an abrupt ending to a slower building story.
Grades 6 - 9
curricular connections:
History - world war 2, japanese occupation of Korea
cultural studies

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As I read this story, I appreciated the perspective of a Korean girl vs that of a Korean boy during the Japanese occupation. Having lived in Korea for 6 years now, I have learned the traditional roles of men and women and I think that LSP very accurately portrays those roles through the characters

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in this story. Sun-hee is quiet, a good student, but never allowed to be a part of important conversations because she is just a girl. Tae-Yul, the oldest son, is considered to be very important in the family, so he is privvy to many conversations. TaeYul is more vocal about his anger and fear while Sun-hee is quiet and reserved. I found I was able to make a lot of connections with the story and I gained a greater understanding of Korea's history. I also appreciated the Korean perspective on the American's appearance when LSP describes the Americans with their big noses, big white teeth, and skin so pale you could practically see right through it:)

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Linda Sue Park does an excellent job of creating lovable, memorable characters in this 1940s-set novel about the Japanese occupation of Korea during WWII. It documents the horrors of the Japanese occupation and the way they tried to steal every aspect of the Korean nationality, from their names,

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their symbolic plants, their language, etc. and replace it with the "Japanese way." The story follows two narratives, that of Sun-hee and her older brother, Tae-yul; whose "Japanese" names are Keoko and Nobuo, respectively, and how they deal with the Japanese occupation and trying their best to secretly protect the little that is left of their Korean heritage. It was a fantastic book that reminded me a lot of Lois Lowry's number the stars, offering a glimpse into the past that is sure to spark the curiosity of children who are interested in learning about the WWII period in history.

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This story is about a Korean girl and her family during the time of Japanese occupation of Korea. The Korean people suffered terrible oppression during this time, to such extent that they were forced to change their names to Japanese-sounding names. The particular family in this book was originally

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named Kim, but changed their last name to Kaneyama. The children, Sun-hee, and her brother, Tae-yul, were forced to change their names to Keoko and Nobuo. The Japanese have tried to eliminate Korean culture by requiring schools to teach Japanese and banning the teaching of Korean language and history. Korean newspapers have also been banned, as has public conversation in Korean. The children’s uncle is forced to flee because of his support of the Korean resistance movement, and their father is limited to the title of Vice-Principal at a school because the position of Principal is reserved for a Japanese man. Because of food shortages, the family is forced to eat millet rather than rice, and personal metal items are confiscated for use in the war effort. Tae-Yul, who has always had a fascination with planes, enlists in the Imperial Army and volunteers for a kamikaze unit. However, he hears some Japanese officers talking about the lack of bravery in Korean soldiers, and makes plans to miss the American ships when his squadron is sent out on a mission. However, they are forced to abandon the mission due to cloud cover. However, he had sent his family a last letter the day before the mission, and they believe he has died in battle. They are overjoyed when he returns home after the war. This is the part of the book that affected me the most. As a mother, I cannot fathom how it would feel to believe my son was dead and then have him suddenly reappear.

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Newbery Medal-winning children's author Linda Sue Park, whose A Single Shard chronicled the adventures of a young potter's apprentice in 12th century Korea, turns here to the story of Korea under Japanese occupation, drawing partially on her own family background for material, and producing a

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powerfully moving tale of identity, cultural oppression, and family love. Opening in 1940, as Korea struggles on under an increasingly repressive regime, one which forbids the use of the Korean language, and the teaching of its history and literature, When My Name Was Keoko is told from the alternating perspectives of two young children, sister and brother Sun-hee and Tae-yul Kim, who find (the latest edict from Tokyo being handed down) that they must henceforth refer to themselves as "Keoko" and "Nobuo Kaneyama."

Outwardly conforming to these new restrictions, the Kim family carries on being Korean, with Omoni (mother) hiding her last Rose of Sharon tree - the national symbol of Korea, all Rose of Sharon trees were, by imperial edict, to be destroyed - in the family shed; Uncle becoming involved in dangerous underground activities that involve his printing shop; and Sun-hee eventually deciding that she would like to learn Hangul - the traditional (and banned) writing system of Korea. After all, she reasons, words must be terribly important, if the Japanese go to such trouble to proscribe them: "How could an alphabet - letters that didn't even mean anything by themselves - be important? But it was important. Our stories, our names, our alphabet. Even Uncle's newspapers. It was all about words. If words weren't important, they wouldn't try so hard to take them away." With danger on every side, and disaster never far away, the Kims struggle to survive the hardships that come to them, with Uncle going into hiding, and Omoni working to create meals from a shrinking supply of food. Tae-yul, caught between his admiration for his boisterous Uncle, and his impatience with his scholarly father, who seems disinclined to oppose the injustices of the occupation, finds that the only way to stay true to what he believes, is to appear to betray it; while Sun-hee, wracked with guilt over her role in Uncle's disappearance, turns to words (always words) for solace, recording her thoughts in a journal.

Emotionally gripping and intellectually engrossing - I found myself moved to tears on more than one occasion, and searching for additional reading material on various topics, at others - this is a marvelous book, one that will expose young readers to an aspect of WWII that is often neglected in the pages of children's literature. I cannot count the children's books I have read and seen that are devoted to the experiences of Europeans - and, to a lesser extent, Americans - in the Second World War, but those detailing the experiences of the people of Asia during this time period are far fewer. For that alone, When My Name Was Keoko is worth picking up. Fortunately, it is also worth picking up for its own sake, as a moving story of one close-knit family caught up in the horrors of occupation, cultural imperialism, and war. Highly recommended!

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Excellent novel that gives you a different perspective of World War II, as seen from Koreans. Sun-Hee and Tae-Yul are brother and sister, living in Korea when the Japanese took over. The novel switches from both characters point of view, so you can understand both a girl and boy's perspective.

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Wonderfully written, a must read!

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Christmas present from Adam's mum. A YA book about a Korean family in Japanese-occupied South Korea during WW2. Interesting and a quick read.

In my opinion, When My Name was Keoko is a great book. I think that the author did a great job making the central message clear. The central message of the book is that it is important to support each other in hard times and that collaboration and working together is key. The central message of the

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book is supported by the author's use of different viewpoints. The author uses two different viewpoints of Sun-hee and Tae-yul, both characters in the same family. The connection between these two characters and their viewpoints despite the fact that Sun-hee must stay home while Tae-yul fights to depend Japand depicts and mirrors the strong family ties that these two siblings have and how important their support for each other is. I also think that the author did a great job of showing the history of the 1940 time period. The author doesn't only include history about the Japanese taking over Korea, but also goes beyond that scope of the 1940 time period and also mentions and connects Hitler to the story. For instance, the author doesn't focus much on Hitler, but includes the fact that Germany was under Hitler's rein through a news story that the characters in the story read.

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"When my Name was Keoko" was an interesting, marvelous, anticipating and amazing story of a young girl and her family. The central message of this story, in my opinion, is to never forget who you really are. Sun-hee and her family were forced to change practically everything about them because they

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were Korean. The Japanese forced them to change their name and to only speak in Japanese. Although this angered the family, they abided and followed the rules. Sun-hee did a great job of coping throughout the story by writing in her diaries. She wrote poetry that conveyed how she was feeling and wrote in the diary every day. As a young girl, she was forced to change her name from Sun-hee to Keoko. The family and friends she grew up with now had to learn all of these new names of people they have known for a long time. I cannot imagine having to do this and seeing how the Koreans made sure to follow their rules, but also remembering their true selves is spectacular. In one part of the story they are instructed to get rid of the rose of Sharon blossom tree in the backyard. The family does in fact get rid of it, so they are not punished by the Japanese officers, but they secretly hide the root. A flower from the tree is given to Sun-hee's brother Tae-yul when he goes off to the army. He is being reminded to never forget where he came from and to always remember the love he has for him back home. It is a very important message being conveyed in this story. The message is great for readers of all ages. Being able to stay true to one's self is one of the most important things to do.

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I enjoyed this book for many reasons. I loved the use of two points of view in this novel of both a young girl, Sun-hee, and her older brother, Tae-yul. I enjoyed this because it allowed me to gather more information about the story (each character is privy to different information), as well as see

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how other characters and plot points appear in the eyes of these two very different characters. For example, Sun-hee seems to love her father, Abuji. Her point of view always talks about him in a loving and respectful way. Tae-yul, on the other hand, holds Abuji in less high esteem. Tae-yul often views his father as a passive coward who prefers to keep his head down rather than confront the unjust Japanese occupiers. Tae-yul much prefers his Uncle who is a key part of the Japanese Resistance and Korean Rebellion movement. From these two points of view, I can view Abuji, the kind and thoughtful father who teaches his daughter Kanji, and the timid, passive Abuji who sits back while others lead the Japanese Resistance movement. Because there are two points of view, I also am able to see more aspects of occupied Korea during World War II. For example, Tae-yul works on the air field and is eventually a soldier. I am able to look into Japanese military operations and how they attempt to groom young men into good soldiers. When Sun-hee is the story-teller, I can see more often what life was like for young girls at school and, though this was not the focal point of the story, I can see the many ways women are treated differently than men (such as when they are permitted to talk, what jobs they are allowed to do, etc.).
I also enjoyed this book because of the well-developed characters in the text, especially the secondary characters. For example, the character of Abuji is portrayed throughout the text as a very steady, dependable, quiet man. By the end of the book, the reader realizes that Abuji was a part of the resistance movement! This man whom his own son called a "coward" was actually incredibly brave as he wrote articles for the resistance newspaper. He fooled even his own family into believing he was passive, a "push-over." This author even gives complexity to some of the Japanese characters. Throughout the book, the Japanese are not portrayed in the best light. They attempt to rob the Korean people of their national identity and culture. The Japenese authority is portrayed as cruel and mean-spirited. However, Sun-hee's friend Japanese friend Tomo is given a bit more complexity than this one-dimensional depiction. Though Tomo stops playing with Sun-hee, he risks a great deal and attempts to relay a warning to her about an upcoming collection. At the end of the novel, Sun-hee reflects on the difficulties of Tomo's life, and how he will have to flee to Tokyo with his family, a war-torn, devastated place which he has never been to before. This author allows us a glimpse into the hardships that many Japanese faced during this time of occupation. Perhaps not all of them are cruel and mean-spirited, but were kind hearted people who just happened to be Japanese, and therefore were not subject to oppression during the occupation. However, they too will have their fair-share of struggles. Linda Sue Park makes the reader aware of this in her book, and I appreciated that she gave the Japanese people multiple layers in this book.
The main message of this book is to give the reader a depiction of life for a Korean family during the Japanese occupation in World War II. The reader sees the injustice of having one's culture stripped away from them, the small acts of defiance and bravery that can make a big difference, and the devastating affects that war can have on the individuals in its wake. Above all, the reader can feel a strong sense of family bond through this novel, and how this bond can help us get through very difficult times.

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This book was different from any chapter books I have read recently. I liked how I not only enjoyed the story and plot and characters, but I also learned a lot about Japan and Korea during WWII. I think that author's central idea is the importance of culture and not forgetting where you come from.

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Through out the entire book, Sun-hee is constantly abraded and tormented for being Korean. They are forced to change their names, forget their native language, and take on a completely different Japanese culture. The reader feels he characters pain and sympathizes with them. This also makes it so much more enjoyable when the characters are able to triumph over such terrible circumstances.

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The overarching idea of the story is the importance of culture and family no matter how harsh the world around may be. It is a wonderful book to read. I enjoyed how the chapters were from two alternating points of view, between Tae-yul and Sun-hee. The male and female points of view highlight the

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cultural traditions for males and femals, and the age difference the importance of respecting seniors. It also is easier to understand a difficult situation such as war or occupancy when there are alternate points of view. Even siblings can look and act in regards to something in different manors.
I also enjoyed the use of Korean honorifics in the book. The fact that there was a guide at the beginning is very helpful, and the use of words like Abuji, Opah, and Omoni help highlight how important respect and honor is to the family of a Korean.

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In my opinion, When My Name Was Keoko, is an average children’s book. I liked the plot of the book because I felt like it was very interesting and dynamic. I think that seeing the culture of the Koreans through the plot was very interesting. It shed a lot of light on the individual roles of the

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members of Korean families, the role of women, and Korean values. Women were supposed to remain quiet and unheard, but the women in this story spoke out, which was unusual for this culture. I think that it was very informative to these areas and shows a perspective that most Americans would not know without reading. I also liked that author chose to write the story through perspectives of both Sun-hee and Tae-yul. This gives the perspective of both a male and a female going through similar events, which I think allows readers of both genders to relate and be able to compare. I think that the main message of this book is that one can get through anything with the support of family.

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I really liked the book, When My Name Was Keoko, by Linda Sue Park. The main point of the story was to show the Korean perspective of life during World War II and how they felt about the Japanese during the time that they ruled in Korea. One thing I really liked about this book was how the author

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told the story from two different point's of view. Instead of dividing the book into chapters by time or events, he did it by names; Sun-hee and Tae-yul. If that section had their name over it, it was being told from there POV which I thought was very interesting since men and women had very different roles and were treated very differently back in this time. I also liked this book because it pushes the reader to think about tough issues. This book broadened my perspective about what the Korean's went through under the Japanese ruling, such as having to completely change their names.

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"When my Name was Keoko" is a book told from the perspective of Sun-hee and her older brother Tae-yul. Their family is Korean, living in Korea during the Japanese occupation. They are proud of their Korean heritage, but in school, they must learn to read and write Japanese, and can not fly the

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Korean Flag. The family is at a loss when they have to take Japanese names. Turmoil arises as WW II continues. The Japanese rule in Korea becomes stronger, dividing Korea even more, as the Koreans struggle to continue to aide the war efforts. Even at the school level, Sun-hee's class even starts assisting with the war effort by collecting metal. Tae-Yul begins working for the airplane efforts. Keoko and Tae-yul's uncle is part of the dissident war effort. He publishes a patriotic paper and is then wanted by the Japanese government. He goes into hiding, and only the children know he is still alive. When Tae-yul joins the Japanese army for the benefits, Sun-hee must keep her uncle's secrets.

I feel that this is an average children's chapter book. The history and time period is important for discussion. I think the book offers a good point of view of how a Korean family struggled to get through World War 2. While I find it hard to imagine what it would be like to have my family's cultural heritage stripped, this book gives a good specific depection of this.

The downside is I found the writing dry. I only really seemed to gain interest as the story picked up in the last 50 pages. For many children, reading historical fiction books, they will typically want something with a little more oomph. I found Park's book struggling to maintain my interest. I thought it was important and well done that she had both perspectives of Sun-hee and Tae-Yul. The Korean culture had different impact on girls and boys I felt this added to the story. The over all theme or point of the book is to show the Korean perspective of the Japanese occupation during World War 2 and the challenges it presented culturally.

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I really enjoyed “When My Name was Keoko”. I liked how the author tells the story from the point of view of a young Korean girl and a teenage Korean boy. This is the only life they have ever known, yet they know the life they’re living is not a just life. Their age and gender differences shed

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light on their similar yet different perspectives of Korea before and during WWII. Sun-Hee, the little girl, has a more innocent point of view, yet she is wise beyond her years and more knowing than her family gives her credit for. She is friendly and nice to the Japanese when they are nice to her, but she is wise enough to keep her family secretes from her Japanese friends. Tae-Yul has a more cynical view of life. We watch him grow from a boy to a man willing to die for his beliefs. These two different perspectives of the same events provides the reader with a better visual of Korea during this time frame.
The big idea of this book was to shed light on the lives of Koreans in Korea under Japanese rule. The book also shows the effects of war and oppression.

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I really enjoyed this book. I liked that the book was written in two different points of view: Keoko and her brother. This allows the reader to see two different perspectives of the same events. For example, the reader gets to see both Keoko and her brother's interactions and relationships with

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their uncle. I also liked that the language was descriptive. The author did a good job of creating mental images for the reader. For example, I could clearly picture what it was like for the brother to be in the plane. The main idea of this book is to persevere through adversity.

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This book is all about the Japanese occupation in Korea which was an area of history I knew nothing about before reading this book. I liked that this book taught me about this time in history but in the form of a story. I also liked how each chapter changed perspectives. I think that when reading a

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story, it is important to consider it from all different points of view and this story did that very well. The main idea of this book is to educate readers about this time in history. It also sends a strong message about the pride people feel about their own culture.

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“When My Name was Keoko” was an interesting chapter book that discusses life in Korea during World War II. I found this book to be very shocking and always kept me on my toes. The author explains life in Korea during World War II and the relationship between the Japanese and the Koreans. Since

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Korea is under Japanese rule, the Korean citizens are being forced to learn Japanese and the Japanese are trying to surpress Korean culture by making the practices forbidden. This is an eye-opening text for young readers because this novel displays the effects of war. I feel that because of this, this book is best fitted for mature fifth grade readers and middle school students. One example from the text that I found to be shocking was that the Japanese expected the Koreans to be submissive to their rule and allow them to run their streets. If I was to be in this situation, I would feel outraged because it is my community and our country. Also, the vivid detailed descriptions of the streets after the Japanese invaded Korea are important because they allow the reader to visual the street and the interactions between Japanese soldiers and Korean citizens. Therefore, I feel that this text was a great read that shows it's audience the hardship of the Korean culture as a result of World War II.

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I liked the book and appreciate Park purpose for writing. Park teaches her reader about the cruel treatment and forced lifestyle Koreans faced during the Japanese invasion of Korea. Her use of descriptive language allowed readers to travel back in time and witness the humiliation and loss of

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dignity Koreans experienced. But, there is always two sides to a story. I wonder how the story would read from the Japanese perspective.

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