When My Name Was Keoko

Linda Sue Park is now on my favorite author list. Park uses alternates between Sun-Hee's and her brother's, Tae-Yul, POV during the Japanese Occupation of Korea. While watching their parents, uncle, and other adults in their lives, Sun-Hee and Tae-Yul still see the world as children and ask many questions. They've known they are Korean, but have only lived with the Japanese Occupation. Sun-Hee knows there are secrets to keep away from Japanese ears, but struggles to understand the struggles the family is going through.This book is written as a middle-grade novel, but YA and adults will enjoy this book as well.Linda Sue Park is descriptive in her writing, and she brings the characters, Korea, and its customs to life. For readers who know little about Korea before and during the WWll, When My Name was Keoko will spark an interest in learning more.

When My Name Was Keoko is a great book about family and the troubles of being under Japanese rule andhaving WWII happening. One of the best parts about this book is how enjoyable it is for young readers andhow it helps them learn about history in a fun way.This book spans five years and features two main characters, Sun-Hee and Tae-Yul, who struggle with the new Japanese laws and have to hide their Korean culture.If you want a fun book for your kids to read, I recommend this. Hopefully, you read this and enjoy it as much as me.

This book was an amazing read for my 10 year old daughter . She couldn’t put the book down - she read it over the course of 2 days . I would definitely recommend this historically accurate fiction to anyone- the description says it is for young adults, but I think all ages would be interested in this.

This is the story of five years in the life of a Korean family during the Japanese occupation of their homeland at the beginning of WWII. They were determined to maintain their Korean identity under the noses of the Japanese soldiers who intended to destroy their nation. All Koreans were forced to adopt Japanese names--hence the title: Kim Sun-hee became Keoko during this time. Set in Korea from 1940 to 1945, the story is told alternately by the 10-year old daughter and her 13 year old brother. There are elements of stifled celebration, pathos, great courage, suspense and a satisfying ending.The author's note is informative. Portions of the story come from her own family, and she recounts other examples of Japanese domination of the Korean people. She also includes a bibliography for further reading.I really liked the book (and I am an old lady!). It's a piece of history that I knew nothing about--I have the impression that the Japanese were trying to do to Korea what Germany tried to do the the Jews! It's worthwhile reading for higher elementary grades and above.

Taeyul and Sunhee are just an ordinary brother and sister, living in a small town in Korea, going to school, having fun with their friends, and dreaming of the future. But living under Japanese occupation makes everything harder, and when the Second World War breaks out and continues day after day, everything becomes even more difficult, and more and more is lost. Readers of all ages will sympathize with this family who make greater and greater sacrifices as they try to hold on to each other and their dignity.

Nine-year-old loved it and paired it with So Far From The Bamboo Grove by Yoko Kawashima Watkins.

I'd recommend this for somewhat older readers than most of Linda Sue Park's other juvenile novels. The Japanese are enemies of Korea in WWII, overlords and polite pillagers of the people, and the interactions of an intimate yet traditional Korean family with the Japanese soldiers and civilians can fuel anger and resentment toward "Japan," even these many years later. On the other hand, it did an excellent job of showing me why some of my Korean students have background animosity towards some of my Japanese students. I read six of Linda Sue Park's YA novels this summer. They were excellent stories and taught me much. I appreciated When My Mame Was Keoko as among my favorites.

I purchased the book for my grandchildren but read it first so we could discuss it after they had read it. I think they will enjoy the story; it is easy to read and is told in both the sister and brother's voices in each chapter. It provides a good, easy to understand, if limited, idea of Korea prior to and during WWII. Courage is portrayed in different ways by all the characters and will provide many opportunities to discuss with your young reader the meaning of courage, family unity, obligations to family and community and how easy it is to misunderstand someone and their intentions if we rely only on our assumption of them.

Was a gift to someone

It taught me how really small things can be v weird for s/o who has never encountered them. It consists of 196 pages.I would have liked if it had more pages. I thought there'd be more suspense but I wasn't v curious about what would happen at the end even though I've never read korean history. But it's a beautiful story. It tells the perspective of two people but isn't repetitive. And would definitely make you want to know history of other countries as well. it's a story of common people living in certain time period and how certain changes were like for them and doesn't dig into things like how politics worked .

Perspective of a young bother and sister of the rule of Japan over Korea during World War II.

This book is one of the best books I have read. It truly brought tears to my eyes. The way the author has captured the emotions of the characters is amazing. Has a great plot, dramatic twist and amazing ending. I would not suggest this book to younger readers as it has some heavy themes. Overall, an amazing book.

This book is a great read, loved every page it's based on the accounts of both the sister and brother which I loved and taught me more about Korea as a whole during World War 2 worth the read definitely!