A child-friendly story about the trials and triumphs of starting over
in a new place while keeping family and traditions close.
When Hee Jun's family moves from Korea to West Virginia, he struggles to
adjust to his new home. His eyes are not big and round like his
classmates', and he can't understand anything the teacher says, even
when she speaks s-l-o-w-l-y and loudly at him. As he lies in bed at
night, the sky seems smaller and darker. But little by little Hee Jun
begins to learn English words and make friends on the playground. And
one day he is invited to a classmate's house, where he sees a flower he
knows from his garden in Korea -- mugunghwa, or rose of Sharon, as his
friend tells him -- and Hee Jun is happy to bring a shoot to his
grandmother to plant a "piece of home" in their new garden. Lyrical
prose and lovely illustrations combine in a gentle, realistic story
about finding connections in an unfamiliar world.