A lyrical narration and luminous illustrations tell an uplifting
intergenerational story of kindness and confidence, loss and
remembrance, with resonance for any child who feels other-than.
*"*Sora means 'seashell' in Korean," her mother said. "Halmoni always
said finding a perfect shell is like receiving a wonderful gift. That's
why she suggested we name you Sora."
Every summer, when Sora's Halmoni, or grandmother, visits from South
Korea, the two of them take the bus to the beach to search for
seashells. While Sora likes to take all of them back with her, Halmoni
always leaves the prettiest shell for someone else to find and treasure.
As summer turns to fall, Halmoni returns home and Sora starts
kindergarten, where some of the kids tease her about her "weird" name.
One day, Sora's parents receive a sad call about her grandmother, and
Sora feels more lost than ever about who she is and how she fits in. But
when her parents reveal the origin of her name, Sora channels a newfound
pride and, inspired by Halmoni, combats her peers' hurtful comments by
sharing her shells with everyone in her class. This story, told by
Helena Ku Rhee and illustrated by Stella Lim, based on art by Ji-Hyuk
Kim, speaks to the prevailing power of kindness and will resonate with
anyone who's been made to feel different.
