From School Library Journal
Gr 3-5--Koh focuses on one game per page; a brief explanation, tools needed, and directions are given for each one. Some of the games are uniquely Korean, while others, such as hopscotch and jacks, are more universal. Unfortunately, the writing is choppy and the instructions are often unclear. They are simplisticly stated and difficult to follow for the target audience. For example, "Jumping Over the Rope" states that a rope can be made by interlocking rubber bands together, but there is no further explanation of how to do this. A seemingly simple game of kite flying turns hazardous when the directions call for a portion of the kite string to be coated with glue and ground glass. There is no suggestion to get help for this, or how to do it. Yellow-and-black illustrations show children playing the game on the facing page, but representation is stereotypical, with the figures all having narrow slanted eyes. Stick with general game books such as Joanna Cole and Stephanie Calmenson's Pin the Tail on the Donkey and Other Party Games (Morrow, 1993), which includes helpful hints and safety tips.
DeAnn Tabuchi, San Anselmo Public Library, CA
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