Bee-bim Bop!

by Linda Sue Park, Ho Baek Lee (Illustrator)

Bee-bim bop (the name translates as “mix-mix rice”) is a traditional Korean dish of rice topped, and then mixed, with meat and vegetables. In bouncy rhyming text, a hungry child tells about helping her mother make bee-bim bop: shopping, preparing ingredients, setting the table, and finally sitting down with her family to enjoy a favorite meal. The energy and enthusiasm of the young narrator are conveyed in the whimsical illustrations, which bring details from the artist’s childhood in Korea to his depiction of a modern Korean American family. Even young readers who aren’t familiar with the dish will recognize the pride that comes from helping Mama, the fun of mixing ingredients together in a bowl, and the pleasure of sharing delicious food. Includes author’s own recipe.

Genres: Picture Books, Food, Childrens, Family, Cultural, Storytime, Cooking

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 12, 2005

About the author

Linda Sue Park is a Korean American author of children's fiction. Park published her first novel, Seesaw Girl, in 1999. To date, she has written six children’s novels and five picture books for younger readers. Park’s work achieved prominence when she received the prestigious 2002 Newbery Medal for her novel A Single Shard.

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 3 out of 5]

Guess what we're having for dinner....?

Pizza... Just kidding. We are having Bee Bim Bop.

There is a recipe in the back of the sing song book for Bee Bim Bop and we are going to fix it. I love the dish and have never made it before, so here goes. It looks like a good recipe.

The nephew listened to the good. I think it was ok for him. Still, we are all excited about the food from the book. The art didn't do anything for me and it served the story. It's about the joys of Bee Bim Bop which is a mix-up rice dish.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Newbery Medal-winning author Linda Sue Park - her historical novel for young people, A Single Shard , was chosen in 2002 - turns to the subject of bee-bim bop in this entertaining picture-book. The text follows a mother and daughter as they prepare the popular Korean dish, the mother calm and in charge, the daughter eager and very, very hungry. Eventually they are ready, and the whole family sits down to a delicious meal...

With a rhyming text that reads quite well - "Almost time for supper / Rushing to the store / Mama buys the groceries - / more, Mama, more! " - and bright, colorful artwork, Bee-bim Bop! would make for an excellent read-aloud selection at story-hour. The general storyline - a mother and child prepare a favorite dish together - reminded me of Cora Cooks Pancit , which I also enjoyed. Recommended to anyone looking for food-related picture-books for younger children, or children's books featuring Korean-American families and culture.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the catchy text. How many bouncy ways can we rhyme with bee bim bop? (A zillion, apparently.)

And I liked the recipe, and the family togetherness, and the artwork. (Note: I asked around when I cooked this, as I was short a few things, and was informed that this is one of those "meh" recipes where you don't have to be exact and can add or take away as you wish. I love those!)

As an atheist/agnostic I wasn't super-thrilled with the page dealing with them saying grace, however, this is what I call a "deal with it moment". Lots of people pray, it's important to a lot of people, it's important for kids to know this sort of thing, and in the context it's just not a big deal in this book. If this is the sort of thing that concerns you, you can skip over those two pages. Just, you know, tape 'em together :P

[Aleska Sever · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book because it has the power to invite the child to participate in reading through rhythmic words. The story is about a girl who tells with great joy the necessary ingredients and the preparation of a traditional Korean dish called Bee-Bim Bop. Taking into account the types of books, this can be described as an interactive book since children can participate in the repetition of sentences like "Hungry, hungry, hungry for more Bee-Bim-Bop". This is a book that allows the reinforcement of words that rhyme. Also,this book supports and perpetuates the Korean culture through the elaboration of its typical dish. The illustrations are detailed and colorful. Additionally, the background drawing is related to elements known to the child such as the supermarket, the kitchen or the dining room. Bee-Bim-Bop book will have a positive reception by children because it has a fun title, allows them to participate, and children can identify with the girl who wants to help in the preparation of food. I would emphasize from this book the rhythmicity of the words, the importance of preserving the culture, the intentionality of giving help at home.
I recommend this book for children over 3 years

[Michael Alumbaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lee's drawings in the book go along very well with the story, and they are very entertaining. I read this book to my 4 year old and he keep laughing at the little girl who keep trying to help her mommy make supper. I think that the text was also enjoyable for him because it used a lot of repition and it was easy for him to read along to the words since he knew what was coming. I would use this book in a pre-k or a kindergarden class to help the students learn to read. Also you build a learning center around the book, so the kids could be in a kitchen and they could pretend that they are cooking.

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rhyming book about a little girl's favorite Korean dish - bee-bim-bop. There's a catchy rhyme and the little girl is certainly enthusiastic about helping her mom cook her favorite meal. The story tells how to make the dish and includes a recipe at the end. Even the recipe deserves a comment. It shows what a child can do (pour the rice into a rice cooker, mix the marinade ingredients), and what a grownup should do (mostly things with knives and the hot stove). Very enjoyable. And by the way, I have had bee-bim-bop in Korea, and it is delicious!

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun upbeat book about cooking a meal in a Korean family. Good text with a repeating line about being hungry. Illustrations are great including the dog who is in every illustration. Recipe is also provided.

[Jinya Situ · Rating 2 out of 5]

i don’t like this book because when I read it , it confused me how to make a bee-bin-bop.the direction how to make Bee-bum Bop was not sure clear, the children may would ask how to make it . When I read it ,it makes me feel boring

[Misha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The PERFECT read-aloud! It's so fun, great rhymes, and it also makes me hungry!

[Gianni Llano · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book explores rhyming with a cultural dish. The cultural dish gives children the opportunity to explore their own favorite foods and find similarities among the ingredients used.

[Kyrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute kid's story about a little girl who can't wait to make mixed up rice with her mom, and there's a wonderful recipe in the back that tells how to make it and how kids can help.

[Niki Brogen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute book that even has the recipe on how to make bim-bim-bop at the end! <3 <3

[BiblioBeruthiel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I nice window into a traditional Korean mealtime without being heavy-handed or stereotyping.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Review:Children's Literature
A young Korean girl is "Hungry hungry hungry for some Bee-Bim Bop." That is the refrain to this catchy, upbeat poem about a girl and her mother preparing dinner for their family. Not just any dinner, but Bee-Bim Bop, an appealing Korean dish that translates to "'mix-mix rice.'" The rhythm of this poem is irresistible and the little protagonist adorable. The illustrations convey the sense of urgency the protagonist feels as she anticipates her favorite meal. She and her mother race through the grocery store, boil rice, flip the eggs, chop vegetables, and cook meat before they set the table with "spoons and chopsticks too." Then all come running as the little girl shouts, "Hurry, family, hurry, Gotta hop hop hop! Dinner's on the table and it's Bee-Bim Bop!" There is a moment of silence as, "Papa says the grace...," before all at the table "MIX IT! MIX LIKE CRAZY! Time for BEE-BIM BOP!" Readers will wish that dinnertime at their houses could be as much fun as the one depicted in this book. The text and illustrations will broaden horizons as they help children learn a bit about Korean food in an entertaining way. A recipe for Bee-Bim-Bop is included at the back of the book with detailed, kid-friendly instructions and pictures of ingredients. An author's note and photograph with her niece and nephew are also found at the back of the book. The book jacket mentions that the author has won cooking contests and has worked as a food journalist. Her novel, A Single Shard, received the Newbery Medal. So, hurry readers hurry, gotta shop shop shop, gotta learn to make some Bee-Bim Bop! 2005, Clarion Books/Houghton Mifflin Company, Ages 3 to 8.
—Jeanne K. Pettenati, J.D.

Recommendation: I would recommend this book for students under 1st grade, unless it is being used to illustrate a different culture's foods. Younger students could connect to the story and have probably helped a family member cook before.

Notes: Korean focus - includes a recipe for bee-bim bop in the back of the book.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this playful and engaging book, Linda Sue Park celebrates one family’s favorite traditional Korean dish, Bee-Bim Bop! From the grocery store, to the table, and all through the preparation time in between, a young Asian American girl maintains high excitement about her favorite dish. Park’s narrative text has great rhythm and flow, as well as a nice repetitive rhyming scheme that encourages participation. Lee’s exuberant watercolor illustrations are clear against a simple white background, and in warm, muted colors, his soft lines somehow manage to appear clean and crisp at the same time. Text font is playful, yet still remains clear and easy to read. Repetitive phrasing and the obvious enthusiasm of the little girl make this a fun book for sharing with young children in a group setting. Readers will also enjoy the images of a loving Asian American family in a typical, everyday setting. An explanation of the term, Bee-Bim Bop, is shared at the back of the book along with a detailed recipe including ingredients, cooking, and serving instructions. When sharing with young children, I would be sure to use enthusiastic tone and pacing to match the playful energy of the text and illustrations. I would encourage participation when we came across bolded repetitive phrasing, for example the audience could clap their hands when it was time for the rice to “pop, pop, pop!” and they could make hand-chopping motions to help the mother “chop, chop, chop!” the vegetables. Additionally, there are plenty of opportunities to pause and allow the audience to supply the line “BEE-BIM BOP! As a fun extension activity, I might print out and laminate images of the ingredients for Bee-Bim Bop for use with the magnet board. I would make a large copy of a simplified recipe to put up for everyone to see and we would use the magnet board pieces to simulate making Bee-Bim Bop together by following the directions on my oversized recipe.

[Courtney Lauren Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Linda Sue Park did a great job with her book Bee-Bim Bop. Not only was the story fun to read with its rhyming play on words but the story was interesting and kept you wanting to know the whole time, "What is Bee-Bim Bop"? I found myself trying to guess just what is was going to be like as each of the ingredients and directions happened in the story.

The words flowed so nicely and the way the text was shaped on each page on certain lines made the story that much more fun to read. The illustrations were very nicely done by Ho Baek Lee. Two things your attention was always drawn to on the page was of course the food that was being cooked, but also the expressions of the family dog who was present for the entire cooking process hoping to taste some of it along the way. I think that was a very cute addition to the illustrations that anyone could relate to their own dog.

Even at the end of the story I found myself wondering what exactly was Bee-Bim Bop. Then on one of the last pages of the book the author gives the recipe to make Bee-Bim Bop. I think that this was such a cute idea to put in their for children so that they can make it with their own parents. I know after reading this book I wrote down the recipe and plan on making it someday when I would like to try something with a different change of culture for dinner one night. This is a great book to read to your students or child when you are teaching them about different cultures because food is such a big part of that. Plus it will be fun for them to do. On the very last page it shows a picture of the author and her niece and nephew making their very own Bee-Bim Bop.

[Aidalys Nazario · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book because it is a very family oriented book. The book is about a young child who is helping in the kitchen getting ready for dinner. It has plenty of rhyming words to keep the children interested. It shows that just because you are young does not mean you cannot help in a kitchen. The illustrations are very detailed. On every page, there are pictures of different things going on in the kitchen step by step. They are very colorful and beautiful.

[Becky B · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little girl helps her mom make Bee-bim Bop and cheers the process along because she is hungry.

Mmm, this book makes me hungry. I love this Korean dish, and the book is the perfect celebration of it. It would be more annoying if the girl wasn't helping her mother, but she is doing all she can to help. (Gotta love cheerful kitchen helpers.) The rhythm and rhyme of this are such that you could clap or stomp along with the book. It helps emphasize just how hungry the little girl is for bibimbop (that's another way to transliterate the dish, and the one I'm more used to). There's a phrase repeated that little ones can catch on to and then start "reading" along at those points. There's detailed instructions for how to make bibimbop in the back of the book that separates the steps into things a child can do and what adults should do. The author's note in the back explains the dish and the meaning of the two words in Korean. A fun Korean food book for kids. Perfect if you're looking for a multicultural read, a book with good rhythm/rhyme or repetition for little ones, or when studying Korea.

[Mooka Srisurayotin · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Bee Bim Bap" is one of my favorite Korean dish of rice topped, and then mixed with meats, eggs and various vegetables, then mixing the ingredients together in a bowl.

The book begins with a girl and her mother hurry to prepare Bee Bim Bop. A hungry girl tells story about helping her mother select groceries, preparing ingredients, setting the table and finally sitting down with her family to enjoy a their favourite meal, Bee Bim Bab!

The story depicts how a hungry child can be really helpful to make a family favorite meal, with a rhyming text style. The energetic girl narrator helps convey the story and illustration. The illustration are very flurry, delight and soft tone watercolours on each spread. The book mainly portraying an activity in the kitchen of a Korean modern family. Even for some children who aren’t familiar with the dish will know the pride of helping mother and the fun of mixing the ingredients together. The child could learn new dishes from other cultures as well.

[jacky · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was featured on Between the Lions. This was a cute story of a little girl excited over her mother making her favorite dish, bee-bim. The daughter really enjoys helping her mother and watching her mother cook. There is nice rhyming and repetition to get young children interested and reading along. The content of the story gives a little bit of insight into Chinese culture through describing the food, which most kids will understand because the ingredients are things they will be familiar with (rice, eggs, meat, etc). I did find it interesting that the focus of the story is a very Chinese dish, but that the father says "grace" and "amen," wince Christianity isn't a traditional Western religion. I'm not sure if this is included to make the family seem American or if it wasn't even a consideration by the author. Nice illustrations. Great school / unit tie ins for Chinese culture, cultural foods, and cooking.

[Hana Sm. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young Korean child is anxious to help her mother make Bee-bim Bop, which is a Korean dish made of rice, scrambled eggs, and beef with vegetables on top. The entire book involves rhyming words, most of which rhyme with the word bop. Page 2 reads, "Hurry, Mama, hurry Gotta shop shop shop! Hungry hungry hungry for some BEE-BIM BOP!" The pictures are cute but they look very cartoonish. At the end of the story is a recipe for Bee-bim Bop.

I would have my class make up a story using words that rhyme with a popular American food. For instance as a class, we could write poems about how to make cakes. Here is a quick poem I thought of, "Rowdy Drake does what it takes to help his mom make lemon pound cake."

I feel like this book is for the really young set because the story reminds me of the book "Peanut butter and jelly" which is based off a popular children's song. This book would motivate children to want to help their parents in the kitchen.

[DyolF Dixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bee-bim Bop by Linda Sue Park and illustrated by Hoo Baek Lee is the story of a Korean mother and daughter preparing a meal. They go shopping for the food. The food is repaired and cooked. The table is set. The family comes in the kitchen to eat. At every step of the process of preparing the meal the little girl said Bee-Bim Bop. The meal was rice topped with vegetables and meat. Bee-Bim Bop means mix-mix rice.
The whole book is a double-page spread. The colors are pastel and the pictures go out to the end of the pages. The empathis in on the actions of enjoy the making of the meal. The mother and daughter preparing the meal and joy of have the extended family come to gather for the meal.
The story would be interesting to ages starting a 3 because they are beginning to have interest in how thing work in the wider world. They would know about help their mother cook meals and might be interested in seeing it done from a different culture point of view

[Ashley Vang · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great because it tells the reader how bee-bim bop is made. The author tells the sotru in a great way a reader can understand how to make this rice mix with vegetables and meat is completed. This story shows a lot of rhyming and love from the authors heritage. It is detailed very well, based on the steps of how to make bee-bim bop, and what was included in the dish. The book was introduced through a way young readers can understand the culinary culture of Korea. The illustrations was beautiful and was very detailed, with specific images of the food and the characters in the story. The illustrations were very colorful, which created a cartoon like drawing that makes you feel happy.

I would recommend students to read this book if they are interested in the culinary culture of Korea.

[Jennifer Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

“Bee-bim Bop” is a fictional story about an eager Korean little girl who wants to help prepare her favorite meal. The child helps her mother to shop, prepare, and set the table for the meal. She walks through the steps and provides information as to her family dynamics as well. I would use this book to teach students sequencing (from shopping, preparing, and setting the table). This book also exposes the students to the Korean culture and food. Rhymes and repetition could be taught to the students through the author’s choice of words (ex. “gotta hop hop hop” and “gotta chop chop chop”). The author and illustrator’s Korean heritage helps to enhance the story and the drawings are very accurate in terms of characters and plot.

[Michael Ho · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bee-bim Bop! shows a little Korean girl that goes to the store with her mother to buy ingredients to make bee-bim bop. In this story, the use of rhymes and instruction. "Hungry-very hungry for some bee-bim bop!" You can see the enthusiasm in this quote because the little girl is really hungry. I like this book because it is also written in English. This gives non-Korean kids an opportunity to learn about other cultures. Reading this book, I'm sure a lot of kids will be curious to know what bee-bim bop looks or tastes like. The author did a great job making readers curious and learn about the Korean culture of food. I can teach a lesson about different food from different countries. Maybe each student can bring in a dish of their own and share it with the class.

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book for several reasons. Firstly, the rhyming scheme of the story is simply catchy, not to mention cute. It manages to teach you about how to make the Korean dish bibim bap as well as how the traditional Korean family functions during meal times. The illustrations are vivid and colorful. All in all, this book is great for teaching your child a little bit about the Korean culture as well as how to make a dish that can involve both you and your child and, of course, the whole family.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delicious rhyme and rhythm will have kids yelling for more, in this palatable, playful book about a little girl helping to make her favorite Korean food.

CIP: A child, eager for a favorite meal, helps with the shopping, food preparation, and table setting.

"This book is a terrific way to introduce Korean culture to young children." School Library Journal

"Expressive, child's-eye watercolors get in on all the activity...in this celebration of a well-loved cultural dish." Horn Book Guide

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warning: I read this as I was walking home from the library just before noon - and then I had to walk back downtown to have some bee-bim bop for lunch! Of course, with the included recipe, I could have made it at home, but I didn't have all the ingredients on hand!

Review: Cute illustrations and a catchy lilting rhythm make this an enjoyable read-aloud. My 6 and 9 yos read it aloud together, and then the youngest had me read it to him again. Best of all, when we were done reading he said we should make it at home. I guess I'll need to stock up on those ingredients...

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute book for little kids interested in helping their parents cook. I had to eat bim-bim bop (that's what I've always heard it called) at the same time. I liked that it goes through the entire cooking process and reminded me of how much fun it was to learn to cook with my parents as a little kid. I really don't like rhyming, so I didn't enjoy reading the book as much as I had hoped, but I know kids would enjoy the rhythm of the story when they read out loud. The illustrations are done in a cartoon style, and aren't particularly amazing, but do convey the spirit of the story.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love silly phrases and words, so this title naturally caught my eye. As its title suggests, "Be-bim Bop" is a lot of fun. A young Korean girl helps with the preparation of this traditional dish in fun, rhyming text.

Veg*n families note: While Be-bim bop is prepared in a variety of ways, the version featured in this story contains both meat and eggs. The recipe at the book's conclusion calls for the same. For veg families, happily, plant-based recipes for be-bim bop can easily be found online.