GIVING THANKS WITH HALMONI

A young girl wants to make the Korean Harvest Festival extra special for her grandmother.

On this day, families come together, remember their ancestors, and enjoy a feast—similar to Thanksgiving. This is the first year that Su-Jin’s Halmoni will be away from Korea, and Su-Jin confides in her pals Maddie and Keisha that she’s afraid her grandmother will miss her friends and family. So the girls ask Halmoni to teach them how to observe Chuseok. Together, they wrap small ceremonial gifts known as bojagi and cook traditional dishes such as japchae noodles and scallion pancakes. They invite their friends, and the celebration is a vibrant success, with everyone trying new foods and sharing family stories. The lively descriptions of the holiday convey a sense of warmth as Halmoni is welcomed into the community. The illustrations have a subtle sweetness that delights. Chuseok is a lunar holiday, and images of the moon abound; it all culminates in a luminous full moon. A traditional Korean quilt hanging on the wall contains vibrant geometrical patterns that are echoed throughout the book. Several pages are divided into panels focusing on key moments or objects (a bottle of sesame oil, hands rolling songpyeon, or rice cakes shaped like half-moons). Maddie is light-skinned, Keisha is brown-skinned, and their community is diverse.

Heartwarming and festive.