The winner of the 2002 Michael L. Printz Award is now available in paperback. When her family moves to California from Korea, Young Ju Park grows from a child to adolescence in her new home, and finds a surprising new voice that's neither Korean nor American but uniquely her own.

Reviews

PreS-Gr 2-Susan Salidor is the composer and lyricist for most of the 14 songs on this, her fourth album. They are fun, mostly energetic and upbeat songs with great background instrumentals that include guitar, bass guitar, recorder, saxophone, piano, and drums. Salidor has a full-bodied voice and is accompanied by a children's choir on most of the songs. Her original compositions include the title cut, "Shiny New Shoes" (about a child's joy in sleek, black and snappy shoes), "I'm Having a Backward's Day! (sic)," "Fine Finkelstein" (in which a child names his multiethnic friends), "Gimmel Gimmel Shin" (which explains the Hebrew letters on the dreidel), "Shimmy with Me" (an action song), "Mighty Fine Road," "The Flicky Flacky Song" (which uses nonsense words to sing about cooperation), "Every Moment, Every Day" (about thankfulness), and "Each and Every One of You." Salidor also livens up the traditional "ABC Song" with a wonderful bass boogie beat. In "Pick a Bale of Cotton," Salidor and the children's chorus sing the song faster and faster. "Hear That Train" and "I've Been Working on the Railroad" are sung together in round fashion. "I Want to Be an Orthodontist!" is an overly long, drawn-out song about a child who knows what he wants to be from the age of five. "Oolong Tea" (written by Scott Suma) is an odd subject for a children's song, since many young children are not allowed to drink tea. These quibbles aside, this is a mostly excellent album for the intended age group.-Beverly Bixler, San Antonio Public Library, TX Trash Can. 1 cassette or 1 CD. approx. 41 min. Deep Rooted Music. 2002. #DRD6217. cassette: $9, CD: $13 (+ $1.50 s/h). PreS-Gr 4-These 12 lively songs, all composed, written, and sung by Eric Ode, are primarily in a rock, pop/rock, or jazz style of music. But the best song of the bunch, "Noah's Big Ol' Raincoat," sounds like a cross between rap and the Motown sound of the 60s and 70s. This song should not be confused with another song on the same album called "Old Man Noah's Raincoat," which has a completely different musical style, but the same lyrics. The album starts out with "Bobby Brought a Skunk to the Pet Parade," in which the skunk disrupts the proceedings. In "Don't Listen to My Dog," the dog claims he was an astronaut and that he's best friends with the President. "Trash Can" uses drums and percussion to great effect in describing the nasty contents therein. "At the Library," which has a jazzy style, describes all the places one can go in books. "There's a Bear in There" is a variation on the traditional oral storytime favorite, "Going on a Bear Hunt." The other songs are "Let's Dance," "The Friend I'm Looking For," "Communication," "The Things You Do," and "Blackberry Jam." Background instruments include guitars, piano, keyboards, drums, saxophone, and horns. The musical proficiency of both instrumentalists and vocalists are very good. The catchy melodies and lyrics on this album will have young listeners swingin', swayin', tappin', and singin' along.-Beverly Bixler, San Antonio Public Library, TX Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Oh's appropriately girlish voice and measured reading bring to life Young Ju, quiet heroine of debut novelist Na's dark tale of a family of Korean immigrants, which just won the ALA's Printz Award for teenage literature. At age four, Young Ju is not happy to be leaving her Korean home and loving Halmoni (grandmother) to move with her parents to Mi Gook (America), believed to be the land of great promise. Through Young Ju's experiences, listeners hear the family unravel as difficulties mount for them in the States. Young Ju's parents struggle with several low-paying jobs, handicapped by their language barrier. Young Ju's alcoholic and bitter father abuses his wife and children and forbids Young Ju to socialize with American friends. And when her father crosses a frightening line in his cruelty, Young Ju bravely takes action that sets her mother, younger brother and herself on the path to yet another new life in America. Oh's characterization, which realistically captures this powerful contemporary story and gives authentic crispness to Korean words and phrases, will keep listeners in its grip. Ages 12-up. (Jan.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.