CHI-HOON

A typical week in the life of a high-spirited eight-year-old in Seoul, emphasizing her wish to be properly dutiful and respectful (paramount cultural values in Korea) in order to win a prize at school, with excerpts from her diary (the days in Korean characters) and a wealth of information about names, foods, schools, and the city of Seoul. McMahon is candid about the tension between traditional attitudes toward females and the more equitable practices favored by younger Koreans. The several dozen excellent photos are not captioned, even though they are not always adjacent to the relevant text (on page 16, Chi-Hoon is shown holding a braided string of garlic that isn't mentioned until page 21). A few places of interest are described but unfortunately not pictured (e.g., the Gate of Exalted Ceremony); simple maps of the country and the city would also have been helpful. Still, a handsome, informative, and readable photo-essay. (Nonfiction. 6-9)