Ginger ParkRezensionen

grandpa dies ...

I loved this book because it is a great story, but I also really loved how the authors told the story and how the pictures enhanced the story. They described the surroundings and the setting so well that even without the pictures, I could envision what the character was seeing. The story is based off of their mother’s journey from North Korea to South Korea before the war and even though I, and possibly a lot of other readers, can’t personally relate to the characters and their situation, I and many others could relate to feeling scared about the unknown. The story is told in English, but the characters do speak a little Korean to each other and at the top of each page there are Korean symbols. There is also a page at the beginning of the book with all these symbols and their English translation, which is a great way for the authors to expose the reader to the language.

I like this book for three reasons. First, I like the plot of the story. There were lots of great tension as the mom and Sue wait for the father’s news after he left to go to South Korea and during Sue’s journey to South Korea. They were constantly hiding from soldiers and nearly die having to cross the river that separated North and South Korea. Second, I like the bigger issue the author wants her readers to obtain from reading the book. The idea of crossing the broader is not as easy as it sounds and most of the time, it caused death. Lastly, I like the illustration of the book. Before the idea of going to South Korea was introduced, the colors were bright and warm but after the idea was introduced, the color changed to be dark and cool. All of the different components of the book adds to the bigger issue the author wants her readers to obtain from reading.

"My Freedom Trip" by Frances Park and Ginger Park is about a child's escape from the oppressive North Korea. I liked this book because it portrays a child's thoughts and perspective on escaping North Korea. It is in first person point of view, from the eyes of the little girl. It is historic. The language displays an unknown to the child, Soo. First her father left and she didn't understand "danger" She did not understand everything that was going on, but she obeyed the man taking her over the border. The writing is suspenseful and very engaging. The main purpose of this story is to show the stress and difficulty of escaping oppression in the middle of the night.

A very inspirational story of a young boy who hungers for knowledge for the sake of both his and his mother’s future.

As a mom with a child who has life threatening allergies to dairy and tree nuts, I was excited when I saw the subtitle of this book. A lot of recipes I find that are nut-free aren't dairy-free, and visa versa. Unfortunately I wasn't impressed with the recipes. They sounded delicious except that the authors' solution for nut and dairy-free was to replace everything dairy related with soy products. I can do that myself with any recipe, however I prefer not to use soy in large amounts, and definitely not with all the chemicals that are needed to turn soy in to fake cheese products. I love cheese but for once I wish I could find a recipe book that didn't rely on cheese for making meals taste good.

For those who are looking for a nut-free replacement for dairy products, palm oil shortening (preferably organic/fair trade so you don't contribute to deforestation) works well as a replacement for butter, along with applesauce in baked goods, and lard if you aren't a vegetarian. Coconut oil and milk are awesome too and your can easily make your own, which results in a simple product with no additives. Though coconuts are sometimes lumped in with tree nuts, they are not a true botanical nut. They are a fruit, specifically a dried drupe.
For those with egg allergies, the recipes might be useful though they seem to rely solely on applesauce though there are many other egg replacements out there, like flax seed.

The part I enjoyed the most was reading about their personal experiences with the child's allergies. It would have been even cooler if they had transformed their chocolate shop into a dairy and nut free chocolate shop. Being located in densely populated DC, I bet they would have been immensely popular, especially if their products were as good as or better than the regular chocolate shops (not am unbelievable possibility as I am a chocolate snob and have found that the dairy and nut free chocolate products are often of superior quality).

I liked this book because it is different than most I have read, and I hardly have ever seen a book written where the plot was based around a food cart. Although, as an adult, I found the ending kind of predictable. The Grandmother and her grandson, Mike, were very believable as characters. This makes the book more interesting to read. Mike acts like a typical child and becomes annoyed wishing she would stop when his Grandmother keeps saying she misses her home in Korea. When she does this she is constantly reflecting on the past and where she used to live. I did like that the Grandmother pushed to be involved in life in America and didn't mind trying to be American. She did this by trying to help with the food cart to help the parents make money. The message for this book to me would be to not forget your culture and background and where you came from because it is important and can make a big difference.

I liked this book. I like how the book showed emotion. For an example, "Daybreak is beautiful here, just like it is back home. How I miss my country." The grandmother in this book really showed a lot of emotion from beginning to end and it goes to show that it is okay for anyone to show emotion. Another thing that I liked was how the book showed not only American culture but the Korean culture as well. For an example, in the book the family sold bagels, pizza, hot dogs, and orange juice, but when the business started to decrease at the cart, the son knew he had to fix it with his grandmother's help. Instead of selling American food, like every other cart was doing, the grandmother and grandson decided to make Korean food for the cart and the business was booming. The grandmother just wanted to feel at home and in order for her to feel at home, she wanted to contribute to the cart by making Korean food from back home in her country. Her grandson helped her to do this. When people move from one country to another, it is crucial that they are able to bring their culture over to their new country. The big message of this book that anyone can be a hero in their family, even the children.

"My Freedom Trip" is both a heart-breaking and insightful look into the human aspect of the Korean divide from the eyes of a young girl whose family was separated by the circumstances of the war.
The reader is put right there with little Soo, witnessing the bravery of her father, mother, and the guide who helped her cross the border, and feel the sacrifice and yearning of these events.

The writing and illustrations are equally descriptive and beautiful. Soo's experiences and feelings are easily relayed through prose, and the illustration depict the emotions and setting of the book wonderfully.

I love the quote at the end of the book where Soo remembers and reflects on her mother's last words to her, and which really bring together the moral and feeling of the story: "When the evening is full of moon and warm winds, I can still hear her cry- 'Be brave, Soo!' Brave for the rest of my life."

I like this book because I like how it talks about Korean food and it mixes some Korean words with English words. There is a boy and his grandma who live together with the boy’s mom and dad. In the beginning of the book, the boy and the grandma talk about making guk bap which is Korean food. I have never heard of it before so it was interesting for me to read. It was also interesting because the boy’s parents were venders on a corner of the street and were selling American food and they were having difficulty selling food. The parent’s would tell their customers, “Have a good day,” and the grandma said that in Korea they would say, “Annyonghi Kasipsio.” After a tough day of selling American food, the boy and his grandma had an idea to sell Korean food instead and they made all these Korean foods to sell the next day. The theme of this book is that you can bring cultures from other parts of the world to America. We see this when the family sells the Korean food instead of American food.½

When their father died of a stroke while on vacation, the Park sisters were left adrift. They were in their twenties, and still living at home in suburban Virginia with their mother when they decided to use the inheritance their father had left them to open a boutique specializing in high-end chocolates. This is the story of that “little shop that could,” and of the bond between two sisters.

It’s a charming memoir, but I found it repetitious. While I admit to self-medicating with chocolate, reading about that in chapter after chapter is less satisfying. Co-authored by the two sisters, it is also written in an oddly first-person-plural style combined with third-person references. So they’ll write something along the lines of “We were excited…” Followed by “Francie gave the customer…” I honestly don’t know how else they might have written it, as co-authors, but for me, it just didn’t flow.

Still, they have an interesting story to tell, and I really likeved their relationship with their mother and with their customers.

I thought this book was a joy to read and was very fascinating. The reason I really liked this book is because it was written almost like a diary and a play by play. I also liked that it didn’t just stop with Jangmi arriving but what happens to him when he gets to his new home.
One thing that I really enjoyed about this book is the illustrations. The illustrations in this book really showed everything that happened in the book. For example, the section that starts with “on the long ride to the airport” you can start to feel a mood because its dark and raining and has a car on its way to the airport.
The second thing that I really enjoyed about this book was the writing. I thought it was really interesting of a child’s point of view of the moving stage. For example, it shows the little boy right before he leaves and when he arrives at the states. I think that it’s interesting to read and see the child develop.
The big idea of this book is moving. If it’s not moving 30 minutes from your home or 6 hours or even country, moving is a very big deal. I think that moving is something that everyone will eventually encounter and this book really shows the step by step and feelings of how moving affects someone.

I liked this book for two reasons. I really liked that this book included words in Korean. I think this is a great way for kids to learn some words in another language especially since they have the words and meaning in English, so its easier for kids to know what the words mean.
I also thought the ending of this book was really cool. The ending shows the main character, Mike, coming up with a great idea to help his parents’ food cart. I think that this shows readers it doesn’t matter how old you are, you should always voice your opinion and share your ideas because something you say could really help someone else.
One thing that I didn’t like about this book was that there wasn’t much of a lesson for children to learn. I also didn’t think the book was really relatable for children in elementary school. I felt that the first 2/3’s of the book was mainly about the grandma and how she wasn’t happy living in America, which is something not many kids can relate to. I felt there wasn’t much of a main point to this story and I don’t think it would be a book I would read to my students.

I really enjoyed this book for many reasons. I enjoyed this book because the illustrations helped to tell the story. For example, when the family went to their block in the city to work at the food cart, the pictures showed how all the other food carts were also lining up on the same block with the same food. This really showed how the family was losing their business to the other carts, which were very similar to the family’s cart. The illustrations are also well drawn so that the children can read and follow along with the pictures if they are still learning to read. I also liked this book because it pushed readers to think about tough issues, like what it must be like to have to leave the country where you live, and the country that you love, to come to another country where everything is different. The grandmother in the story was struggling with this problem of living in a new country and missing the country she is from. This book really has you thinking about how the grandmother must feel after living somewhere else for so long. The book also uses some Korean words when naming the Korean food that they make. The book brings Korean culture into our lives, and that is another reason I liked this book. In the back of the book, they also list what the words means and what is in the dish. This is interesting to me because you get to learn something new while reading the book, as well as learn a little about the Korean culture. I think there was a very important message to this book. At the end of the book, Mike (the main character) and grandma come up with a plan to sell Korean food at their food cart, instead of the pizza and soda all the other carts are selling. It becomes a hit and business picks up again, which is good for the whole family. I think the message of the book is that even though you may not be home, you can bring a little bit of home with you and share that with others. Through the grandmother, the culture of Korea brought the family together, as well as help to spread other cultures to other’s lives.

This book is a book about a boy who wants a New York Bagel but since he lives in Kore he cannot have this bagel. He sends a dove with an order for the owner of the bakery shop and waits for his bagel to come back. When his bagel doesn't come he goes on a search for his bagel and doesn't find it but when he is at the bakery he finally gets the news about his bagel. He doesn't get the actual bagel but he gets the recipe to make the bagel and he makes it with his friends that he talked to when he was looking for his bagel. Then once it is made they all eat the bagel together and it is very delicious. So now Yum Yum the boy looking for the bagel has finally gotten the chance to have his New York Bagel.

a story about a little girl moving and being scared of having to move from her home
4 books

This children's book was great. I really loved the story. The book was about a poor young boy in ancient Korea. He dreams of learning how to read and becoming "something", so he can take care of his mother. One day he sneaks to the school and the teacher (Master Lin) tells him he can't there because he is from the poor village. But Song-ho is determined to learn and sits outside the school listening to Master Lin. Master Lin finds out that Song-ho is listening so he speaks louder so he can learn. Eventually the weather gets cold and Song-ho sits outside freezing. Master Lin has had enough and invites Song-ho in to the school house. The other children quiz him on what he knows and when he answers correctly, they accept him into the class. Each year the school prepares the children for an important scholar bowl called The Royal Bee. Song-ho is chosen from his school and attends the Bee. He makes it to the final two. Song-ho and the other contestant are asked as a tie breaking question "what does winning mean to you?". Song-ho wins with his honest answer of him being a poor boy and will be able to take care of his mother. He then goes home with his prizes to show his mother.

Personal Reflection:
I love the dedication this boy has to learning. I wish some students now would have this drive to want to learn and to see that it is privilege. That's what I want the children listening to this or reading this book to get from it.

Classroom Extension Ideas:
1. We could learn more about the Ancient Korean Culture and expand to their current culture. We can do this by reading more books that talk about the culture.
2. We can learn about the dress they wore. In the book the illustrations show how they dressed. I can search for a costume to show the students what it really looked like, and have them try it on as well.
3. We can have our own Royal Bee. We can ask questions relevant to our curriculum and see who wins within our class.

I enjoyed this book because it focuses on the life of a Korean family who has their own food truck in America. Their famous saying is "Have a good day" that they announce to all customers, so they eventually name their food truck "The Have a Good Day Cafe." The main message enables readers to make connections to different cultural backgrounds and apply them to life in America. After several unsuccessful days on the food truck, the grandmother wished the family would go back to Korea, but Mike, the main character, says, "America is our home now." Shortly following, Grandma decides that the food truck would benefit from selling Korean food as opposed to American and she was right. The author included specific Korean words to reference the food Grandma cooked. Some examples are "bulgogi," "chop chae," bibim bap," etc. This allows readers to get a sense of the language. On another hand, towards the end of the book, Grandma exclaims, "I like this have a good day saying. In Korea we say 'Annyonghi' Kasipsio,' but it all means the same thing!" Also, when analyzing the illustrations, they are simple, yet detailed, but also show the expressions of the characters. For example, when business is slow, the family's expressions seem to represent frustration and when they start successfully selling their Korean food, they are all smiles. Overall, the development of this family business allows readers to recognize the Korean culture being utilized in America.

This book was a good book with a positive outlook. The overall message of this story is to have an open mind with everything you do... things normally turn out fine. The book takes place (setting) in the streets of a city selling food from a food cart. The setting is important to the overall book because the family has immigrated here from another country and is trying to adjust and make ends-meet. The book goes over different foods that the family used to eat in their native country. The grandma comes up with the idea of them selling those foods off of the food cart to make them stand out. The language lets us in on some of the words used in their home language. If you turn to the food glossary on the last page of the book and review the Korean words and definitions. The book also creates a mood. The grandma is not very happy with living in the American city, you can tell this when she says "And go back to Korea? Grandma says with a wishful look." Her mood changes throughout the book to be more positive when at the end the little book narrates "Grandma puts her arm around me and hugs me tight, I think she is feeling right at home now." Over all this is a solid book to have in your classroom.

I like this book because the flow of the book is well organized. Although most of the readers might not be able to read Korean, there is one Korean word. In each page, there is the main theme. The one word shows how the theme is about, such as peace, promise, fear etc. Where the page is about that Soo’s father had promised to get Soo, there is word Promise in Korean on top of the writing. Where the page is about Soo’s first trip, it says Trip on top of the page. It wouldn’t be helpful to students who do not speak Korean since it is in Korean, but it will be helpful to Korean students who care not fluent in English. Students could see the word that describes the theme of the page and guess what will happen next.

This story is about a girl named Soo that lived during the Korean War. Her dad leaves to go to America. He says somebody will come back for her and her mother. The man finally comes for her but tells her mom he will come back for her after Soo is safe. The Korean War breaks out before Soo's mother is retrieved. Soo never sees her mother again. This story is heart wrenching and brutally honest of what it was like in Korea back then. This is important for children to see the harsh reality of things that happened in other countries besides their own.

In my opinion this is an excellent book. I liked this book because a conflict and solution theme was highly organized that grasped the reader. For example, the story starts out by introducing Mike’s family, whom are Korean American, and it focuses on his grandmother's recent arrival to the United States. Mike’s grandmother shows early signs of conflict being home-sick, especially when she is told to stay at home while the family worked the food cart outside. Eventually, the grandmother felt at home again when she was able to contribute to her family’s business by cooking Korean cuisines for the food cart. I think the plot was clearly executed, and it added to character development. I liked that the book told the story through Mike’s point of view and how he felt sad for his grandmother. Throughout the story he tried cheering up his grandmother by drawing her pictures, as well as helping his family’s declining food-cart business. Characters Mike and Grandmother were well-developed and worked together in the story to create a solution to their conflict. Mike and his grandmother surprised Mike’s parents with Korean foods in the morning to sell at the food-cart, which did exceptionally well. I liked that the story had descriptive language. Throughout the text I noticed Korean words being used, but with English spelling. For example, the grandmother mentioned the word “mandu” and to help the reader understand the meaning, the grandmother said “dumplings.” The story helped teach Korean to readers that might not know the Korean language. Also, the last page of the book was dedicated to illustrating and translating the Korean foods that were mentioned in the story. The book helps push readers to think about how immigrants from other countries might feel when coming to America, which is very important since ESL students from abroad are increasing in elementary schools nationwide. The message of the story is that there is resourcefulness everywhere for those that come from a different country or cultural background.

I enjoyed reading the journey of a Korean family learning to adjust to America while continuing their culture. The plot was simple and easy to follow as less customers visit the food stand until the family decides to make Korean food. I liked that the characterization was multi-dimensional with curious children and wise grandparents whose views change throughout. I did not like the unrealistic Korean people illustrations. I felt they were very stereotypical. The message of this story is to be careful not to assimilate while you adjust to new experiences. The family business improved when they chose to sell their Korean food rather than American hot dogs.

I really enjoyed this book for two reasons. First and foremost, I liked the big idea of this book. I liked that the story encourages the reader to stay true to their culture and beliefs and be proud of their heritage. The Korean American family in the story has a food cart that sells American food, but as competition around them grows, they begin to sell Korean food, which is turns out to be very successful. I also liked that the book is centered on family. For instance, the family travels together into the city to sell food from the cart and at the end; the grandma and grandson make the Korean food together to sell from the cart. I could make a personal connection to this story as my grandma and I always bake cookies together around the holidays, so it made the book more meaningful for me.

The Have a Good Day Cafe Contemporary Realistic Fiction
Written Frances and Ginger Park, Illustrated by Katherine Potter

“The Have a Good Day Café” is a fantastic children’s contemporary realistic fiction picture book about a Korean family in America. I love how Park combine Korean and American foods in to one book. The Korean family originally sold American food but begins selling Korean foods at their food stand in order to make a living. The Korean family has to change their food stand when rival American food stands park nearby. The author uses descriptive similes such as, “Umbrellas open like giant mushrooms” to provide visualizations that children can understand. Mike, the young Korean American boy, lists his favorite American foods such as bagels and orange juice for breakfast, hot dogs, pizza, pretzels, and popcorn. In the story Mike says, “… but I wish Grandma wouldn’t daydream about the past so much.” In the end, Mike and Grandma cook Korean foods such as bulgogi, chop chae, bebim bap, and jijim. Mike found a solution to the family’s financial problem while satisfying both Grandma and him. “The Have a Good Day Café” teaches that one should never deny or underappreciate the culture he/she comes from. Without Korean food, the family would have had to close down their food cart. Also, it teaches that tricky problems can be solved with clever solutions. Mike was not selfish; rather, he was a problem solver because he looked for a solution that would please both his family as well as himself. With Mike’s solution everyone in his family ended up happy.