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    When my Name was Keoko
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    When my Name was Keoko
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    When my Name was Keoko
    Ebook229 pages4 hours

    When my Name was Keoko

    By Linda Sue Park

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    When her name was Keoko, Japan owned Korea, and Japanese soldiers ordered people around, telling them what they could do or say, even what sort of flowers they could grow. When her name was Keoko, World War II came to Korea, and her friends and relatives had to work and fight for Japan. When her name was Keoko, she never forgot her name was actually Kim Sun-hee. And no matter what she was called, she was Korean— not Japanese. Inspired by true-life events, this heartwarming tale of courage, resilience, and hope reveals what happens when culture, country, and identity are threatened.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherUniversity of Queensland Press
    Release dateApr 1, 2013
    ISBN9780702251269
    Author

    Linda Sue Park

    Linda Sue Park, Newbery Medal winner for A Single Shard and #1 New York Times bestseller for A Long Walk to Water, is the renowned author of many books for young readers, including picture books, poetry, and historical and contemporary fiction. Born in Illinois, Ms. Park has also lived in California, England, and Ireland. She now lives in Western New York. Learn more at lindasuepark.com.

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    Reviews for When my Name was Keoko

    4/5

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    • 5/5
      This was a really good book to read, while discussing elements of historical fiction. I enjoyed this book for many reasons. I enjoyed how the perspective switched from Sun-hee to Tae-yul to show what life was like from a boy and girls perspective living in Korea while they were under the control of the Japanese. I enjoyed how descriptive the language was, especially while they are talking about the American soldiers and their candy. The characters in the story were well developed and believable. The plot was also well organized and followed a steady pace all the way through. This book pushes reader to expand what they know about Korea during this time period, and offers different perspectives. The big message in this story was the importance of identity and culture. That is evident all throughout the story.
    • 4/5
      It is 1941 and the Japan has occuppied the Korean peninsula for the past 30 years. Sun-hee and her older brother Tae-yul struggle to uphold their Korean heritage, while appeasing their Japanese occupiers. It's a constant struggle against their increasingly ruthless invaders whose war is tearing apart the continent. A vast cultural history is packed into this short novel about Korean and the end of the Japanese occupation. The narrative feels mostly natural, as the characters grapple with the issues of patriotism, different gender roles, and surviving a war they want no part of. Interwoven with tidbits of facts, this is a good introduction to the complicated reality of war. The writing is suitable for Grade 4 and up, although they might struggle to understand some of the Korean cultural references.
    • 5/5
      Perfectly paced and perfectly voiced, this realistic fictional narrative describes the wartime experiences of a Korean family. Emotions run high as two siblings grow up during Imperial Japanese occupation and war, at the conclusion of which comes sudden, unlooked-for liberation. One character writes poetry, the beauty of which contrasts vividly with the dreadful aspects of the present circumstances of her family and her country. Many little details ring true. Notes and bibliography add yet more interest.
    • 5/5
      Tells the story of a family in occupied Korea in World War II, when the Japanese tried to suppress Korean culture.
    • 4/5
      In my opinion this is a great book. The language in this novel is very descriptive. I was able to actually picture myself in the shoes of Sun-Hee or Tae-Yul. When Sun-Hee was describing what school has transformed into, the way the Japanese soliders would take everything from them, I felt her pain. When Tae-Yul explained his thinking process about the reasons as to why he joined the Imperial Army, I felt what he was feeling. He was courageous as the novel had represented through the descriptive language. The point of view was very different than other novels I have read in the past. This novel consisted of two first person point of views. It was told from Sun-Hee the younger sister, and Tae-Yul, the older brother's point of views. At first it was very confusing when switching from character to character. Then as a reader, I became so engaged with the story. It was very interesting to see it from a male and female side throughout this war. The older brother had a lot of responsibility in the family, while the younger sister had to do chores around the house. This book absolutely pushes a reader to think about tough issues. From my knowledge about this war, I personally did not fully understand the amount that the Japanese took from Korea. The Japanese took everything possible. They looked down on Koreans. It was informational to read about the hardships that many of them went through. Then to further read how they treated the Korean's in war was very difficult to read. They talked about them like they were not even present at times. The moral of this story was just that, to spread the knowledge of the fight that Korea had to put up with while the war was going on with the Japanese. Overall, this novel is a great read with wonderful historical background from not too long ago. I would recommend this book to many.
    • 5/5
      I really liked this book for many reasons. I loved how the point of view switched back and forth between Sun-hee and Tae-yul. It allowed the reader to see two very different sides of the story. The writing, even though it went between two characters, flowed very well. Although I have never been to Korea, Japan, or been in a war situation, the language of this story painted clear pictures in my head of what was going on. I think this story has multiple main messages, the most important being that family is the most important thing of all. I think another important message is the importance of writing, reading and education, and how it can change lives. Lastly, I think the story shows how important it is to trust your intuition and go after what you believe in.
    • 3/5
      In my opinion this is a great read for students to read to learn about the conflict in Asia during the time of World War II. The author Linda Sue Park helps paint of picture of the pain that the Korean people had to go through when their country was taken over by the Japanese. I really enjoyed the structure of the book and how there weren't chapters but different narrators from Sun-hee, a young girl and her older brother Tae-yul. I think this book had a great contrast between the two different Asian cultures, Japanese and Korean. I would recommend this book to be read after teaching about World War Two and how it effected other countries besides European countries and the United States. I think this book teachers the read a lot about how important a person's culture is to them and how when you change your culture you change who you are.
    • 4/5
      This was a really good book for two reasons. One, I learned more in depth of how things were for Koreans under Japanese ruling. Two, I loved the courage of some of the characters in the book. I never knew that the Japanese took over Korea. They forced Korea to live under new laws. I could not imagine having to change my life around and become a whole new culture. The second reason I thought that the book was good was because of the courage I saw in some of the characters. The uncle was very brave when he changed the Japanese flag to a Korean flag in the newspaper. Moments like that made me realize that people will do whatever to show their love and pride for their culture and country. The big idea of this book was to show that the Koreans went through under Japanese rule and how they tried to remain humble as long as possible.
    • 4/5
      I liked this book because it told the story through two different perspectives of a brother and a sister. Sun-hee is the sister and views things differently because she is a girl, for example on page one she says "I wasn't supposed to listen to men's business". The brother obviously views things completely different because he is a male and in Korean culture, males and females are treated very differently. This dual perspective allows each reader to relate differently, I related more to Sun-hee because she was a girl and I could see myself being just as sad as she was when she was informed her sibling had died. and incredibly happy when Tae-yul returns. I also liked this book because it made historical fiction so gripping. The author showed the complex relationships between the family members (Uncle, Abuji, Omoni, etc) like the respect that must be given to Abjui from Tae-yul, as well as the cultures of the Japanese and Koreans like how the Japanese viewed the Koreans as cowardly and that is what made Tae-yul volunteer.. I also liked how it showed Americans in a different perspective because I'm American, I thought it was interesting with Sun-hee described Americans as always having big white teeth. I believe the big idea of this book is the importance of keeping your culture, this is evident when the war is declared over and the Koreans all rip up their cards with their new names on them.
    • 4/5
      This incredible book follows the story of a Korean family dealing with the Japanese invading Korea during World War II. I liked how the book creatively told the story through two different perspectives, the daughter and the son of the Korean family. As each chapter unravels, readers are able to view the same situation or event through the others' eyes. For example, the son joins the army and is able to explain his experience and everything that is going on, but as you get to the daughters chapter, she has no idea what he is going through, nor does he know what shes going through, back at home. I also liked how the author represented the Korean culture. For example, the author included a glossary of Korean words that would be used multiple times throughout the story, such as, 'Omoni', meaning mother, and 'Abuji', meaning father. I also liked how we were able to see the war in a completely new way. As an American, I obviously have a different perspective of the war than the Japanese and Koreans. The big idea of this book was to shed some light on the hardships the Koreans faced during the war and how they really relied on the Americans to win the war for the Japanese to surrender Korea back to the Koreans.
    • 3/5
      I had mixed feelings about this book. "When My Name Was Keoko" is about a Korean family who lived during WWII and was taken over by the Japanese. They were made to change their names, give up their valuables and forced to live by new rules and some even made to join the Japanese in their fight. The story is told through the eyes of a young girl, Sun-hee and her older brother, Tae-yul. The author accounts the hardships that their family had to endure during this time, including their Uncle having to go into hiding and Tae-yul volunteering as for the Japanese and becoming a kamikaze pilot. You feel for the characters throughout the story, such as when Sun-hee thought she had made a huge mistake and told her Uncle false information that forced him to go into hiding, or when friends and family were beaten. I like the fact that you get to see the struggle of the Koreans and Japanese from children's point of view. I never realized that the Koreans were forced to give up so much and change their names. I liked how the author did not make all Japanese seem bad, such as when Tomo went out of his way to help Sun-hee and her family by warning her. I also liked how the book was divided into character sections, switching between Sun-hee's point of view and Tae-yul's. It made you understand where each character was coming from and why they said or did what they did. I did not like the "dryness" of the story. I felt like I was always waiting for a huge climax that never really came. There were several more exciting parts of the story, but nothing that was the pinnacle for me. I was also surprised that they spoke of "satisfying the sexual needs of the Imperial Soldiers." However, if this really happened and the book is meant to give insight of the actual events and hardships of the Koreans, then it is appropriate. Overall, I did like the book, I just felt as though there should have been a little more to it; especially since it was fictional and the story line was invented, which leaves room for excitement where needed.
    • 5/5
      In my opinion this is a fantastic book because of the plot, well developed characters, and controversial topics discussed. In the author's note at the back of the book, Linda Sue Park writes, "millions of people used and abused by the Japanese cannot get records on what they know to have happened to them." Many Japanese and Korean people choose to forget what happened during this decade on control, so publishing a book that depicts exactly what occurred during this time forces readers to talk about such topics. In the author's note, Park mentions several stories her parents who grew up in Korea during this era shared with her. All of the stories listed in this section were mentioned in the story, making the book more credible due to it's historical accuracy. The ongoing suspense made the plot very engaging for the reader. While reading, I would predict what I thought would happen next, only to be proven wrong. I enjoyed that the plot was unpredictable and the actual order of events were much more intriguing than any I could have predicted. For example, while reading about Tae-yul leaving for his mission, I assumed the reason the sergeants called him back was to send him home because I assumed the police contacted the sergeants about what his father told them. Instead, Tae-yul is believed to have completed the mission and passed away, only to return several chapters after. The author choose to switch the point of view of Sun-hee to Tae-yul every other chapter, thus strengthening the character development much more than if the entire book was from one perspective. Oftentimes, both characters would share their thoughts from the same event, distinguishing their differences to the reader. I believe the big message of this book is to honor your family and stay true to your roots. Although the Kim family were being controlled by the Japanese and forced to give up their names and several other Korean aspects of them, they always stayed true to their roots when the soldiers were not around. They kept a Sharon tree in the work room, they practiced Korean writing in secret, they used their Korean names when they were not in public, and although it was not revealed until the end of the novel, each family member did their part to rebel against the Japanese authority in honor of their country.
    • 4/5
      I liked this book because of the writing style, and how the language clearly made it feel like we were part of the war. I disliked changing the point of views from Sun-hee to Tae- yul, and going back and forth. These kind of stories I have never liked, because it is usually easy to get confused or lost. The imagery was beautiful, but since it was from two different people's points of view, it kind of sounded like two different people were writing the book. I could not imagine imperialism happening to me right now, and someone coming into my house telling me that I am no longer me. Especially at a young age, this book will let me know how grateful I truly am to live in a land with tons of opportunities. Lastly, I loved the descriptions of Americans, they seemed to be so spot on, and the author was right with the stereotype that Americans seem to have, that all Asian people look similar and resemble one another. I just found this intriguing. Overall, a great book, but a little confusing with going back and forth between characters.
    • 5/5
      I really liked this book, it basically gave me a learning experience while reading. I didn't know much about World War II and how Japan and Korea were so hostile towards each other. Not only did I get a history lesson, it put the reader in the shoes of two young Korean children who are dealing with the changes put in place by the Japanese. The other thing that grabbed my attention was the love the family had for their heritage and family. The father did anything and everything he can to keep the heritage lingering. The mother once said, " The time will come when you will be free to grow in a place of honor." Even though she stated this to a tree it was to prove their strength and hope for change.
    • 4/5
      I had mixed feelings about this book after reading it. I liked the book because it gives the reader insight of what World War II was like through a child's eyes. It also shows a perspective of the war from the "enemy's" eyes, at least to Americans, and how they dealt with their own form of prejudice. I thought this book was extremely eye opening as I did not know how oppressed Koreans were throughout the war. It was nice to see their perspective as I have only really seen the American and German perspective on World War II. I didn't enjoy the book as it was a slow story to get into. Although it was extremely informative and powerful, I did not find it to be an easy read. It took me a great deal of time to get into the story. I thought that the characters were strong but that the book could have used possibly more dialogue in order to make it more intriguing. I felt deeply for each character but I wish I got to know more about the individuals. I did enjoy how the point of view switched back and forth from the two children in the book. This way the young readers can see what the war was like from both a young boy and young girls point of view. This book exemplifies the strength and courage young people had during a time of great loss and struggle.
    • 5/5
      This book was so amazing for so many reasons. First, I loved that the chapters were separated into the points of view of the two main characters, Sun-hee and Tae-yul. Sun-hee is the younger sister and loves school; her brother Tae-yul doesn't like school as much and would rather be a pilot. They live in a house with their mother, father, and uncle. I appreciated the mention of the Korean terms of address at the beginning of the book. Having the pronunciation and meaning given to me before getting into the story made the book a lot easier to read and understand. Another important aspect that made the book easier to understand was the order of the chapters and progression of the events in the story. Even though the chapters changed points of view between Sun-hee and Tae-yul, the flow of the story was never broken up and continued smoothly from beginning to end. The family dynamic was represented well and made the characters feel more realistic. In fact, the story was so realistic that I laughed and cried along with the characters. For example, Tae-yul is talking about how the Japanese were taking everything from the Koreans and not giving them much but expected gratitude for what they were giving. On page 61, Tae-yul says, "What they take: our rice, our language, our names. What they give: little rubber balls. I can't feel grateful about such a bad deal." I laughed at the honesty in his statement. I also cried when I read the part about Tae-yul going to war and when they got the letter that he died. This book was filled with so much emotion and made the reader feel what the characters felt. I believe the main idea of this book was to show a child's view of WWII and how it effected different families. I also believe this book was big on being courageous and not being afraid to work for what you believe in.
    • 3/5
      I had mixed feelings about this book. While I enjoyed the historical fiction aspect of it and seeing the viewpoint on World War II from the Koreans, I didn't like the plot progression within the book. There were times when I would think "Is anything going to happen soon?" or "Yes, I already know that " (about a particular character). I feel that if there was more going on with the characters or between the characters, I would have been much more interested in the book. Also, I was not expecting the book to have a "happy ending" with the son coming home from being a suicide pilot. I feel that the book would have had much more of an impact on the reader if there was a slightly different ending that spoke to the reader and truly affected them. However, I did enjoy learning (from the Korean point of view) about the livelihood in Korea at the time of World War II. In my U.S. history classes, I learned about World War II but only from the perspective of the United States. This book allowed me to see the hardships that the Koreans endured and what the Japanese did while in Korea at that time during the war.
    • 2/5
      I personally didn't enjoy this book, I believe that the story could have been told in a shorter more descriptive way. While reading this book, I learned a lot more about WWII and the events that took place before. The Japanese took everything from them: their language, culture, money, status, and especially their names and identity. The actions the characters in the story took to protect their culture showed how far the cruelty of the Japanese had driven them. The books point of view was first person, it went back and forth between a brother and a sister. The writing throughout the story was organized and flowed, though I don't think the writing was engaging. There were many parts of the story that seemed like added wording to make the story longer.
    • 5/5
      Summary & Review: When My Name Was Keoko brings readers back to the 1940s. The two main characters of the story are Korean and must hide their customs and traditions due to their practice being against the law. The children speak of stories and customs of the Korean culture traditions. The family is ripped apart as they are battling the struggles of living during wartime. Advanced literacy language makes this book great for critical readers of a higher reading level. Children will pick up on many underlying messages and learn what their impact has had on the children in the story.
    • 4/5
      This book provides the two points of view of a brother and sister who lived in Korea when Japan took control. The struggle to keep with Korean culture and honoring Korean heritage was great for this family, but they did the best they could to keep their background alive. They did not want their past and everything they held dear about their heritage to go away just because their country and names were being taken. The Japanese were portrayed as tyrants who only wanted to enforce what they held close to them. For instance, they gave all of the people rubber balls, but took away their bicycles. It was viewed as a happy thing that they gave everyone balls, but Sun-hee's brother only remembers how they took his bike. The big picture of this book is keeping composure in though times and holding a respect for your past. This books displays how a family can stick together and hold true to themselves even in this type of environment.
    • 4/5
      In my opinion, I thought that this was a fantastic book. First, I liked how the author wrote in the perspective of Sun-hee and her brother, Tae-yul. It was interesting to see the two sides of the same story. For example, Sun-hee loved to study Kanji because, in her eyes, it was so interesting to learn. She felt that each written character was like telling a story. Tae-yul, on the other hand, disliked the subject and did not find what about it intrigued his little sister so much. I also learned to love the overall plot of the story. It was interesting to learn about this side of World War II that I was not as familiar with. In addition, I felt that the plot was exciting, suspenseful, and surprising at times. My favorite example of the story being really surprising was when Tae-yul had written the farewell note that was sent to his family which would have signified his death, only to be revealed later on in the book that he was still alive. It was interesting to read about his side of the story during his time as a pilot for the war effort. The big idea of this book is to inform readers of this point in history, and the various circumstances the Koreans had to face in response to the Japanese ruling.
    • 4/5
      I found the book, When My Name Was Keoko by Linda Sue Park to be an excellent read. I finished the book in a couple days because it was a difficult book to put down. The story line was so interesting and you just wanted to know what happened next which made myself continue to read for long periods of time. The book is about a Korean Family who suffers under the recent take over of Korea by Japan. They are forced to give up just about everything, their names, food, metals, valuables, and for some even their lives. The story takes the audience through their struggles in great detail and ends with the war being over and America winning, which in the end frees Korea from Japan's rule. This book gives an excellent perspective and what it is like to be in Keoko's position or others living in that time and place.
    • 3/5
      I did not connect with this book at all. I was not living during the war depicted nor have I had any experience remotely relating to this book. The first 50 pages were extremely slow and seemed to be the same sort of thing over and over again. For example, it kept repeating how the Japanese just kept taking items from the Koreans. I understand there was symbolism and that these types of things actually happened in our history, but the story line was slow and the way the characters kept jumping back and forth was annoying. Each chapter it was either the brother or the sister telling the story from their point of view and that did not intrigue me as much as it bothered me. I had a very hard time finishing this book.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed reading this book. I had only gotten a few pages into the book when I had to think about my own knowledge of Korea. I had no idea that Korea had been occupied Japan in the early 20th century. So already a few pages into the book I was learning something new. I really liked the way that the author shows the reality that some people went through during this time. They had their culture practically stamped out by a stronger country. In the midst of all of these big events happening in the book, the author shows that the little things do matter, like the written word. Even though it was illegal to speak and write in Korean, many people did anyways. I also really liked the alternate narrators, even though at the beginning I didn't really notice the different narrators. I thought that it was just chapter breaks. But once I got used to the different narrators I really came to like the two characters. Overall, I really liked this book for many different reasons. One big reason was the different themes that were presented in the book. The big idea in this book was the hardships that the Koreans faced. By reading this book I learned a lot about a time in Korean culture that I had no idea even happened. One theme in the book was that courage is something that is needed to accomplish something. I do agree with this theme and I felt that the writer did a good job of showing this to the reader. I also really liked how the written word is really important in this book. I agree that if something is written well it could affect many people.
    • 4/5
      There are numerous reasons why I liked this book. First of all, I should say I liked this book more along the lines of it's elements, history, writing style, and overall reasons that helped establish my own opinions about this book. What I can't say I like this book because of is it's personal connections in relation to my own life. I was not alive in that time period when Keoko and Tae-yul lived, nor was I ever in the country of Korea. Yet somehow this book seemed to have me in a trance while reading it, that kept me in an ongoing suspense.I liked how the point of view switched of within this book between Keoko and Tae-yul. I thought the dual perspectives was key to keeping me intrigued while reading. It was clear not convoluted, also, because after Keoko spoke, Tae-yul jumped in on the same subject, it wasn't so cut and dry. The flow was static throughout the whole book, which in my opinion is a plus.I have no relation to the time when Korea was occupied by Japan, yet you would think that I would lose interest in the book after a while. However it was quite the contrary of that. The suspense and tension was always rising. From Uncle working for the resistance, to Tae-yul joining Japanese forces, to Keoko and her brothers secret language pattern, there was not a moment in the plot that I took as a bore. The book also pushes readers to think about tough issues, and think about the world in a different perspective. It allows for questions like: "how would I feel in that situation", or what if my identity was taken away from me, what would I struggle with?" The central message of this book can be looked at from different angles, in my opinion. It can take the multicultural view and portray that identity can define a human being, and that being taken away from you can alter your life drastically. Or the message can be that family is of the upmost importance. However I do feel that the main idea Linda Sue Park is trying to put out there is the one about family.Overall, "When my name was Keoko" was a great read, and I would love to share it in my future classroom! It is educational, intriguing, and suspenseful, all in one, and that makes one valuable book after all!
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed reading "When My Name Was Keoko", by Linda Sue Park for two main reasons. First of all, I appreciated the fact that this book exposed its readers to intense historical topics that informed them of some the hardships that Koreans experienced during World War Two. One instance in the story where this is especially true is when it talks about how Tae-yul is a kamikaze plane fighter in the Japanese military and his family believes he has died. This is a tough concept for readers because of its powerful emotional ties and complex idea of the ultimate sacrifice given by some men in the war. The book stayed true to the truthful history despite its intensity, which I think is important. This made me enjoy the story more because of its historical significance and by creating an emotional tie between the reader and actual historical events. I also enjoyed this books because of its development of the two main characters, Sun-hee and Tae-yul, through their paired narration of the story. The reader was able to get a clear sense of each character's personality through their alternating narration with their views and reactions to events in the story. One great example of this is the expression of Sun-hee's stubbornness and pride. This is shown in one instance when he narrates the part of the story when the Japanese officer finds his diary and he is not afraid of getting in trouble, but proud that the officer was reading what he had wrote, even after the officer destroyed it. This was a time when the reader truly got a sense of who Sun-hee is and his qualities. Through the utilization of characters and their narration of historical events, the story portrays the message of staying strong through times of great hardships, such as war by relying on loved ones and staying strong for them.
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed this book. It was hard for me to get interested in the story at first, but once I started reading it I was unable to put it down. I loved the point of view change throughout the story between Tae-Yul and Sun-Hee. The point of view changes provided different insight to the same story and showed each of their emotions throughout the book. I also really liked the information on Korean culture that was expressed throughout the novel. I never realized how much respect the children showed to their parents and how sometimes they were unable to express their emotions because it would disrespect their parents. I loved the characters, I thought that they were extremely believable, especially Tae-Yul's dedication towards his uncle, and how he enlisted in the Japanese army so he wouldn't risk the Japanese-ordered betrayal to his uncle. I think that the big idea of this book was to provide a window to life in Korea during World War Two and the hardships that the Koreans struggled with everyday. Throughout my life I have mainly learned about life in America throughout WW2 and never gave much thought to what was happening in Korea.
    • 4/5
      While kind of a niche, historical books that take place during WW2 are a genre that have always fascinated me. Books like this one which follows the different experiences of it's characters are always an interesting read as well. WW2 was a war that encompassed many different nations and cultures. Thus, there are thousands of different interpretations of how it took place, and what it's impact was. It is more than just one side vs the other, but the hundreds of nations and millions of people on both sides of the war that experienced things differently. All in all, this book's perspective on the war was a truly engrossing one. Few American schools focus on the Japanese side of the war aside from Pearl Harbor and the bombs that were dropped. While I did know that Japan was fighting China at the time of the World War, I was unaware that Japan's influence reached to Korea as well. The book's use of different viewpoints between the brother and the sister was very interesting and kept me captivated. Often they experienced things separately but when they did go through the same event, it was interesting see both of their point of views. Sharing different perspectives with others is something that I believe is important to learn. In addition to having multiple perspectives within the book, the book itself is just one perspective in the millions of other views and experiences of WW2. One last reason why this book is pretty amazing is that throughout all the suffering and strife in this family's life, they persevere. Even when the Japanese take away their very names, even when they believe that their only son has died, they stay strong. Overall this book is about the love of family and about telling one's story. The theme of perspectives is apparent throughout and makes this story a very strong and memorable one.
    • 5/5
      Grade: 6-10BiographyWhen My Name was Keoko is an amazing novel that takes places in 1940's Korea. During this time Japan had invaded Korea and took over the land, the people and the culture. What makes this novel so special is that it is written from the perspective of a young Korean girl named Suhn-hee and her brother Tae-yul. The book is a biography of the unique experiences that this war has had on the two siblings. I really liked this style of writing because the two experiences were both so unique that you could get a good idea of what war life was like for many Koreans, soldiers and non. In order to help protect his family Tae-yul enlisted in the Japanese army. After volunteering (with a plan) to be a part of a suicide mission his family gets word that he is dead but the mission was never completed and Tae-yul lived. This book discusses themes of family, culture, hope, and war. Throughout the entire novel you are clearly able to see how important family is to each one of the characters. Tae-yul almost gave up his life to protect his uncle and provide a better life for his family.
    • 4/5
      Surprisingly, I really enjoyed this book. I tend to have a hard time reading books that deal with history, however, I found this book to be captivating and interesting. One of my favorite aspects of the chapter book was the two perspectives that it gave throughout the story. Readers were able to follow the story's events from the perspective of the young Korean girl who was renamed Keoko, as well as her older brother. In a culture in which males and females are held to clearly different expectations and follow very different guidelines, it was interesting to see the story unfold from these two extremes. In addition, I enjoyed the plot of the story. It was organized in such a way that made it easy to follow the events that were taking place in the war. A great deal of historical fact was interwoven in the story, allowing readers to learn a little bit about World War II in a more exciting way than reading a text book.The big idea of this story has to do with identity and being proud of your culture.