Customer Reviews

Yoon and the Christmas Mitten

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Korean born Yoon shows full respectfulness to her parents as they stand firm for keeping Korean holidays, rather than adopting North American ones. Yet she finds appropriate ways to sustain an on-going conversation to try to persuade them. In the end, the strength and happiness of Yoon's family grows even richer. I love the values this book teaches young children AND their parents. Beautifully crafted narrative, and beautifully illustrated -- satisfying to adults as well as children.

Yoon, is a little girl who came to the United States from Korea. It is a country "far away", she says as she narrates this sweet holiday story.

Yoon's teacher reads a story about Mr Santa Claus, and how he brings presents on Christmas Eve. This is something new to Yoon, so when he teacher lets her bring home the book to share with he family, she is thrilled. He parents, however, are NOT so thrilled. They tell Yoon, "We are not a Christmas family", adding that their holiday is "New Year's Day". Yoon is mad at her parent's reaction and cannot understand why they do not like Santa Claus, or Christmas.

The next day Yoon and her classmates make popcorn balls to take home and to hang on the trees for the birds. Yoon's mother is upset because she does not like birds or squirrels. Yoon then begins to tell her mother about Santa's reindeer, but again she is stopped mid way when her mother says, "we are not a Christmas family". But, Yoon does not give up that easily, she begs her parents to allow her to leave out her bright red mitten on the night before Christmas. Her parents reluctantly agree, and she attaches the red mitten to the corner of her bed before she goes to sleep. When she wakes up she finds something special was left for her after all.

Yoon and the Christmas Mitten was a very sweet and touching story. It was the perfect type of book that would allow teachers and parents to discuss the holiday and how it is celebrated by people of other cultures. The watercolor illustrations by Gabi Swiatkowska was just lovely and the way they are drawn depicts what a young child who is different from most others in school, might be feeling or experiencing. Well done and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Non denominational,full of the spirit that fills us all at special times of the year. Expressions of family,emotions of fitting in(or not),cultural traditions and innocent wonderment that touch adults and young ones alike. Beautiful,warm and memorable.