What do you think?
Rate this book
My Name Is Yoon
Getting to feel at home in a new country
Yoon's name means "shining wisdom," and when she writes it in Korean, it looks happy, like dancing figures. But her father tells her that she must learn to write it in English. In English, all the lines and circles stand alone, which is just how Yoon feels in the United States. Yoon isn't sure that she wants to be YOON. At her new school, she tries out different names―maybe CAT or BIRD. Maybe CUPCAKE!
Helen Recorvits's spare and inspiring story about a little girl finding her place in a new country is given luminous pictures filled with surprising vistas and dreamscapes by Gabi Swiatkowska.
My Name Is Yoon is a Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year.
Yoon's name means "shining wisdom," and when she writes it in Korean, it looks happy, like dancing figures. But her father tells her that she must learn to write it in English. In English, all the lines and circles stand alone, which is just how Yoon feels in the United States. Yoon isn't sure that she wants to be YOON. At her new school, she tries out different names―maybe CAT or BIRD. Maybe CUPCAKE!
Helen Recorvits's spare and inspiring story about a little girl finding her place in a new country is given luminous pictures filled with surprising vistas and dreamscapes by Gabi Swiatkowska.
My Name Is Yoon is a Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year.
32 pages, Paperback
First published April 3, 2003
28 people are currently reading
2431 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 565 reviews
September 23, 2015
I like this book because the book words is very easy and it has a big pictures, they give a great help to understand English. I like this book story because Yoon's behavior too cute.
September 23, 2015
I had not thought that the meaning of the name changed, I thought that it was interesting. However I don't like picture.Because it is little scary.
February 24, 2017
It's impossible not to fall in love with sweet little Yoon who doesn't like the way her name looks written in English- she prefers it in Korean. The pictures are stunning, and I feel like the emotions depicted are authentic.
September 23, 2015
The story was fun,I like the picture,and i like name yoon in Korean.
January 13, 2022
I enjoyed reading my name, Is Yoon. Her story is relatable to me, and I can see why Yoon wanted to change her name when learning English as a second language. When my sister and I moved to the United States, We experienced a similar situation with our name propositions and how we talked. I also love Yoon's name has a significant meaning in her culture. She wanted her name to stay that way. Her name means Shining Wisdom. The beautiful thing is her name has the same meaning in both languages. After she tries all the other names, she ends up with her original name.
June 11, 2013
My Name is Yoon is a sweet story about a little girl that has trouble adjusting to her new life in America. Before she goes to school, her father shows her how to write her name in English, but Yoon does not like how her name looks in English. She would rather write it in Korean because in Korean it looks happy and the characters dance together. At school, she assumes different names, other than Yoon, such as: Cat, Bird and Cupcake. Throughout the story she repeatedly explains her loneliness in her new county. For example, she explains both by transferring her feelings of isolation onto a bird and by overtly stating she wants to, "fly back to Korea"(p. ). However, by the end of the story Yoon makes a friend, writes her name in english and thinks that a different place like America might be okay after all.
Recorvits does a great job creating the character of Yoon by using connections to relatable human emotions. Fletcher (2013) discusses, "characters contain the crucial human link . . . for the reader to identify with" (p.56). I identify with Yoon as I have hated being the new kid after moving. I especially relate to Yoon when she talks about a little Robin that is hoping the yard. Yoon transfers her emotions about herself onto the Robin and talks about how he is like her: alone, has no friends, and no one likes him. Yoon also talks about wanting to be cupcake because children would be excited when they saw her. All these statements are consistent with her uncertainty about her new home and her place in America. As the reader, I could relate to all these emotions and was instantly transported back to a time when I moved from California to Florida. While I resisted the transition to my new home in different ways, I shared similar emotions with Yoon. I remember talking to the family dog telling him it was okay that he did not have any friends, but he would soon. Looking back, I realize I was like Yoon and the bird- I was more so talking about myself through the safety of an animal. The strategy I would take from this book to teach writing is being candid with emotions. I would ask readers to identify with all the ways Yoon explicitly and implicitly states her loneliness or difficulty transitioning to America. As an exercise, the class could list the ways difficult emotions manifested with Yoon and if appropriate, apply some of those techniques to their own characters.
Recorvits does a great job creating the character of Yoon by using connections to relatable human emotions. Fletcher (2013) discusses, "characters contain the crucial human link . . . for the reader to identify with" (p.56). I identify with Yoon as I have hated being the new kid after moving. I especially relate to Yoon when she talks about a little Robin that is hoping the yard. Yoon transfers her emotions about herself onto the Robin and talks about how he is like her: alone, has no friends, and no one likes him. Yoon also talks about wanting to be cupcake because children would be excited when they saw her. All these statements are consistent with her uncertainty about her new home and her place in America. As the reader, I could relate to all these emotions and was instantly transported back to a time when I moved from California to Florida. While I resisted the transition to my new home in different ways, I shared similar emotions with Yoon. I remember talking to the family dog telling him it was okay that he did not have any friends, but he would soon. Looking back, I realize I was like Yoon and the bird- I was more so talking about myself through the safety of an animal. The strategy I would take from this book to teach writing is being candid with emotions. I would ask readers to identify with all the ways Yoon explicitly and implicitly states her loneliness or difficulty transitioning to America. As an exercise, the class could list the ways difficult emotions manifested with Yoon and if appropriate, apply some of those techniques to their own characters.
October 26, 2017
My Name is Yoon by Helen Recordist is a children's book about a young girl and her family who emigrated to America from Korea. Her dad tells her that she can't write her name in the Korean character anymore, and he was teaching how to write her name in English. Yoon does not like the way her name looks in English, and she refused to write it in school. Instead she would write something else as her name. This represents her not willing to accept being in America. It wasn't until she started to embrace her new American life, that she finally wrote "Yoon" on her paper. This story will help the readers understand the difficulties of adjusting to new life in America for immigrants. It relates to many Asian Americans in general because not all would have what you call the normal American name. It’s suitable for ages 4-8 and the themes include immigration and cultural identity.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 3, 2014
My Name is Yoon by Helen Ricorvits is a story about a little girl named Yoon who moves here with her family from Korea. She isn't excited about going to school because she knows that it will be different. The story proceeds with her writing her name as many different things all because she thinks it would be better to be anything but how her name is written in English. Not my favorite read because it doesn't really have a whole lot of storyline to it and I would say that it would be classified as touristic literature.
August 20, 2018
An important concept. Yoon has immigrated and she is having trouble accepting her new environment. Even the way her name is written has changed from Korean to English. It is hard enough to be the new kid in a class, but when everything from the language to the food to your very name is different than what you are used to, it is even more difficult. Lovely illustrations, too.
September 22, 2015
I like the store because is beautiful
September 23, 2015
I like this story because enjoyable and I like the image on the expressive speech story and entertaining at the same times.
January 23, 2021
Me llamo Yoon escrito por Helen Recorvits; es un cuento de ficción realista que trata del conflicto que tiene una niña al tratar de adaptarse a su nueva vida en los Estados Unidos después de venir de Corea. Yoon se muda de Corea a los Estados Unidos y no le gusta como se ve su nombre escrito en español con letras del abecedario. Trata de reemplazar su nombre con diferentes palabras hasta que finalmente se siente cómoda con su nombre y su nuevo hogar. Los lectores jovenes se podran conectar a el personaje principal. Comprenderan la dificultad que tiene Yoon al ser diferente y querer ser igual a los demás en un lugar nuevo. Este cuento tiene ilustraciones realistas que muestran la diversidad y las emociones de los personajes. Es contado en primera persona narrativa. Yoon es la narradora. Tiene secuencia cronológica y tiene diálogo asignado a los personajes. Este es un hermoso libro que se lo recomendaria a cualquier maestr@ que tenga un estudiante nuevo que haya imigrado de cualquier otro pais a los Estados Unidos. Libro ganador del premio Notable Children's Books.
July 16, 2023
Picked this up while looking for other books at the library 🙂
This is a gentle tale of adapting to change. The illustrations are beautiful, even though there is a stark feeling to them, a minimalism that fits the story.
This is a gentle tale of adapting to change. The illustrations are beautiful, even though there is a stark feeling to them, a minimalism that fits the story.
February 7, 2018
A book that will make you think about all the changes moving to a new country brings, including the way we write our name.
October 24, 2010
My Name Is Yoon is a heart-warming contemporary realistic fiction picture book of a young Korean girl who has difficulties adjusting to school and life in the United States. The young protagonist narrates this moving story of an immigrant’s journey of gradual acceptance of her new life.
The story begins with a very unhappy girl who reluctantly moves to the United States from Korea with her family. Yoon finds life in the United States to be strange and different and wishes to go back to Korea to live. Even her name, Yoon, which means Shining Wisdom, looks very different when it is written in English.
Every day at school the patient understanding teacher asks Yoon to write her name on a paper. The first day, instead of writing Yoon, she writes Cat and imagines that she is a cuddly cat. The next day at school she sees a robin outside the classroom window and instead of writing her name, she writes bird. She wishes that she were that red robin so that she could fly back to Korea. Yoon’s parents are also patient and encourage their daughter to make new friends. At recess, a classmate offers her a cupcake and Yoon accepts the cupcake and makes a new friend. When asked to write her name in school that day, she writes Cupcake instead of Yoon. She uses her vivid imagination and daydreams she is a flying delicious cupcake. Eventually, Yoon assimilates to the United States and starts writing her name and participates in the school activities. Yoon realizes in the end, that “maybe America will be a good home” and “that maybe different is good, too”.
The watercolor detailed illustrations are vividly colored and enhance the story’s powerful theme and plot. The main character is strong willed and imaginative. The supporting characters are patient and loving. This is a realistic story of understanding and acceptance. I would read this to Kindergarten to grade 2 students for the realistic characters, theme and plot. Some students may be able to make connections to their own personal experiences about moving to a new country or school. This book could also be used to elicit class discussions about developing empathy for others who are different from them.
The story begins with a very unhappy girl who reluctantly moves to the United States from Korea with her family. Yoon finds life in the United States to be strange and different and wishes to go back to Korea to live. Even her name, Yoon, which means Shining Wisdom, looks very different when it is written in English.
Every day at school the patient understanding teacher asks Yoon to write her name on a paper. The first day, instead of writing Yoon, she writes Cat and imagines that she is a cuddly cat. The next day at school she sees a robin outside the classroom window and instead of writing her name, she writes bird. She wishes that she were that red robin so that she could fly back to Korea. Yoon’s parents are also patient and encourage their daughter to make new friends. At recess, a classmate offers her a cupcake and Yoon accepts the cupcake and makes a new friend. When asked to write her name in school that day, she writes Cupcake instead of Yoon. She uses her vivid imagination and daydreams she is a flying delicious cupcake. Eventually, Yoon assimilates to the United States and starts writing her name and participates in the school activities. Yoon realizes in the end, that “maybe America will be a good home” and “that maybe different is good, too”.
The watercolor detailed illustrations are vividly colored and enhance the story’s powerful theme and plot. The main character is strong willed and imaginative. The supporting characters are patient and loving. This is a realistic story of understanding and acceptance. I would read this to Kindergarten to grade 2 students for the realistic characters, theme and plot. Some students may be able to make connections to their own personal experiences about moving to a new country or school. This book could also be used to elicit class discussions about developing empathy for others who are different from them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2009
Summary-
My Name is Yoon is a picture book for children in grades k-2. In this story, a young girl moved with her family to the United States from Korea. Upon arriving to the US, her father insisted that she learn how to write her name in English. In Korean, Yoon’s name means “Shining Wisdom” and is a beautiful blend of symbols. Although she didn’t like the look of “Yoon” in English, she learned how to write it with individual lines and circles. When Yoon went to school, her teacher asked her to write her name on a paper. Each day Yoon chose a word she liked better than her name like cat, bird, and cupcake. She felt those words described her better than "Yoon." She felt very lonely at school, until one day a little girl gave her a cupcake. Once Yoon felt that she had made a new friend, she realized that it was okay to be herself. The next day she decided to write her name on each line for the teacher, and she was proud of herself. She also felt like her name fit her, Yoon, which has the same meaning, "Shining Wisdom," in both Korean and in English.
Response-
This picture book is simple yet very powerful. The struggles that the main character, Yoon, faces by entering a new school with a new language are very real issues a young child would face. Writing your name in elementary school is something that many kids are proud of because it's their identity. Yoon feels sad to write her name differently.
I would have liked to see the teacher in the story find a way to allow Yoon to continue to write her name in Korean or to share it with the class. Just because she enters a new country with a new school doesn't mean she needs to forget the way she writes her name. Perhaps the teacher could have allowed her to write her name both in English and in Korean.
Young kids can also relate to her feelings of loneliness and misunderstanding. In the end she finds friendship and acceptance which are also themes that all children can relate to.
I would love to read this story to my young ELL students, because I think many of them could relate to it and identify with Yoon.
My Name is Yoon is a picture book for children in grades k-2. In this story, a young girl moved with her family to the United States from Korea. Upon arriving to the US, her father insisted that she learn how to write her name in English. In Korean, Yoon’s name means “Shining Wisdom” and is a beautiful blend of symbols. Although she didn’t like the look of “Yoon” in English, she learned how to write it with individual lines and circles. When Yoon went to school, her teacher asked her to write her name on a paper. Each day Yoon chose a word she liked better than her name like cat, bird, and cupcake. She felt those words described her better than "Yoon." She felt very lonely at school, until one day a little girl gave her a cupcake. Once Yoon felt that she had made a new friend, she realized that it was okay to be herself. The next day she decided to write her name on each line for the teacher, and she was proud of herself. She also felt like her name fit her, Yoon, which has the same meaning, "Shining Wisdom," in both Korean and in English.
Response-
This picture book is simple yet very powerful. The struggles that the main character, Yoon, faces by entering a new school with a new language are very real issues a young child would face. Writing your name in elementary school is something that many kids are proud of because it's their identity. Yoon feels sad to write her name differently.
I would have liked to see the teacher in the story find a way to allow Yoon to continue to write her name in Korean or to share it with the class. Just because she enters a new country with a new school doesn't mean she needs to forget the way she writes her name. Perhaps the teacher could have allowed her to write her name both in English and in Korean.
Young kids can also relate to her feelings of loneliness and misunderstanding. In the end she finds friendship and acceptance which are also themes that all children can relate to.
I would love to read this story to my young ELL students, because I think many of them could relate to it and identify with Yoon.
October 11, 2016
My Name Is Yoon is about a Korean immigrant who moves to the United States and struggles with cultural differences. At the start of the book, Yoon is presented with her English name, which she immediately objects to. She doesn’t like the way it looks in English because the uniqueness of her name is literally lost in translation. When written in Korean, “the symbols dance together” and symbolize “shining wisdom.” Whereas in English, it simply means Yoon. Over the course of the book, Yoon continues to experience difficulty adjusting to her new home. When asked to write her name, Yoon embraces other names such as CAT, BIRD and CUPCAKE. Each time she takes on a new name, you can see the gradual progression she’s making in her new home. When she was CAT she wanted to curl up in a corner with her mother. When she was BIRD she wanted to fly back to Korea. When she was CUPCAKE she so desperately wanted her new classmates to like her. Little by little, day by day, her heart begins to open up to her new home. The choices that she makes and the choices that other people make eventually encourage her to once again change her name, but this time it isn’t something new, it’s something familiar, it’s YOON.
What a captivating book. As a Korean-American it’s inspiring to see books that empathize with populations that are underrepresented in the children’s literature community. I don’t know what it’s like to be an immigrant in America, but I’ve always wanted to understand since my mother immigrated here when she was young. Even though this book gives a more shallow understanding of what it’s like to experience assimilation, I think it’s a great book to launch a unit that explores cultural diversity. When I was in elementary school, there were never any lessons centered around Asian culture, therefore in the future, I want to make sure that I find time in my school year to explore it!
What a captivating book. As a Korean-American it’s inspiring to see books that empathize with populations that are underrepresented in the children’s literature community. I don’t know what it’s like to be an immigrant in America, but I’ve always wanted to understand since my mother immigrated here when she was young. Even though this book gives a more shallow understanding of what it’s like to experience assimilation, I think it’s a great book to launch a unit that explores cultural diversity. When I was in elementary school, there were never any lessons centered around Asian culture, therefore in the future, I want to make sure that I find time in my school year to explore it!
October 11, 2017
This book is under my text set of immigration because this story is about a girl named Yoon which is a second generation immigrant. The book doesn't specifically mention anything about immigration which is the point I want to prove. Immigrants are people that aren't native born in America. This country is made up of many immigrants from a variety of cultures. It's important for children to see themselves represented in books, this particular book brings forth the topic of embracing the identity you get from your own culture.
This particular book is about named Yoon who is from Korea but has to adjust to the American style. Yoon isn't too happy about her new home. She finds it challenging to like this new place. She also doesn't want to write her name the American way. She finds it hard to write letters instead of the Korean characters she's used to writing. The story has a happy ending as Yoon learns how to adjust and like her name in American letters.
I think this story is great for kids because it'll get them excited about their own names. It's relatable because many children face the challenges of hearing their name mispronounced. A child's name is part of their identity which can mean a lot. I don't find this book to have a super rich plot but it gives a deep message behind the story. It presents the problem in a humorous way and gives a happy ending presenting the solution. The language is very easy to understand and does convey realistic characters. The illustrations might be a bit bland to keep children's attention but it does correlate to the text. The characters represent the Korean culture. The book also shows Yoon's name the way it's spelled in Korean. The book is easy to understand making the lifestyle of the characters very genuine. The text does a good job at representing the speech the characters use. Overall this book can bring forth a great discussion of why it's important for us to embrace who we are.
This particular book is about named Yoon who is from Korea but has to adjust to the American style. Yoon isn't too happy about her new home. She finds it challenging to like this new place. She also doesn't want to write her name the American way. She finds it hard to write letters instead of the Korean characters she's used to writing. The story has a happy ending as Yoon learns how to adjust and like her name in American letters.
I think this story is great for kids because it'll get them excited about their own names. It's relatable because many children face the challenges of hearing their name mispronounced. A child's name is part of their identity which can mean a lot. I don't find this book to have a super rich plot but it gives a deep message behind the story. It presents the problem in a humorous way and gives a happy ending presenting the solution. The language is very easy to understand and does convey realistic characters. The illustrations might be a bit bland to keep children's attention but it does correlate to the text. The characters represent the Korean culture. The book also shows Yoon's name the way it's spelled in Korean. The book is easy to understand making the lifestyle of the characters very genuine. The text does a good job at representing the speech the characters use. Overall this book can bring forth a great discussion of why it's important for us to embrace who we are.
February 27, 2014
My Name Is Yoon by Helen Recorvits and illustration by Gabi Swiatkowska
This book is about a little girl name Yoon. Yoon and her family had moved to the United States from Korea. She was not happy about the move. She wanted to move back to Korea. The story opened with her father explaining that she had to learn to write her name in English. Yoon, meaning Shining Wisdom, didn't like the way her named looked in English. She preferred the Korean way. At school Yoon tried different names. On the first day of school her teacher talked about the word CAT. When it was time to turn in her paper she wrote CAT where her name should have been. The next day she wrote BIRD as her name. Yoon felt lonely in her new world and she thought her teacher didn't like her but that wasn't the case. Her parents encouraged her to have patience. Yoon eventually decided to write her name the correct way and realized America wasn't so bad after all. I didn't really care for the book because I felt the main character was being stubborn for no reason. She didn't even give it a try before assuming the worse in her new environment. I know it's hard to be the new kid in the class but Yoon assumed the worst in everyone and everything.
The book was set in a way that the narration was on one page and the illustrations were on the other. The illustrations were colorful and very detailed. It won the 2004 Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award and in 2008 it won the Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year. I recommend this book for K-3. I would use this book with a group discussion on being new to a school, friendship, and/or adjusting to new environments. I could also use this book with writing for the older grades (2-3). Prompts I would consider using would include, "Ways to be friends with the new student at school" or "How can you fit in as the new kid at school."
This book is about a little girl name Yoon. Yoon and her family had moved to the United States from Korea. She was not happy about the move. She wanted to move back to Korea. The story opened with her father explaining that she had to learn to write her name in English. Yoon, meaning Shining Wisdom, didn't like the way her named looked in English. She preferred the Korean way. At school Yoon tried different names. On the first day of school her teacher talked about the word CAT. When it was time to turn in her paper she wrote CAT where her name should have been. The next day she wrote BIRD as her name. Yoon felt lonely in her new world and she thought her teacher didn't like her but that wasn't the case. Her parents encouraged her to have patience. Yoon eventually decided to write her name the correct way and realized America wasn't so bad after all. I didn't really care for the book because I felt the main character was being stubborn for no reason. She didn't even give it a try before assuming the worse in her new environment. I know it's hard to be the new kid in the class but Yoon assumed the worst in everyone and everything.
The book was set in a way that the narration was on one page and the illustrations were on the other. The illustrations were colorful and very detailed. It won the 2004 Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award and in 2008 it won the Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year. I recommend this book for K-3. I would use this book with a group discussion on being new to a school, friendship, and/or adjusting to new environments. I could also use this book with writing for the older grades (2-3). Prompts I would consider using would include, "Ways to be friends with the new student at school" or "How can you fit in as the new kid at school."
April 13, 2012
I gave this story a rating of 4 stars and is written for children P-I. This book is considered a Contemporary Realistic Fiction. My Name is Yoon has been awarded the Ezra Keatz New Illustrator Award in 2004.
This story was about a young girl who moved to America with her dad. In the beginning she had a hard time adjusting, especially with not being able to speak English, but by the end she learned to adjust.
I think this story would the be a great book for elementary students. The pictures were great and the story line was good as well. This would especially be good for a child who is new to the country or even just new to a school or class. They would be able to relate to how it feels to be new and understand that they can adjust if they just give it some time. It also stuck out to me that Yoon came to America with just her dad. This surprised me some because it isn't always common to see a single dad but a single parent is common, so this is another way a child would be able to relate in that way. So although it seems to be a child's book it hit real life topics that happen.
A way that a teacher could use this book in a classroom is to bring up the previously mentioned topics. Asking readers if they have experienced being the new student. Discussing how it feels to be in that position and how they could help a new friend feel more comfortable and to make adjusting to a new place a little easier.
This story was about a young girl who moved to America with her dad. In the beginning she had a hard time adjusting, especially with not being able to speak English, but by the end she learned to adjust.
I think this story would the be a great book for elementary students. The pictures were great and the story line was good as well. This would especially be good for a child who is new to the country or even just new to a school or class. They would be able to relate to how it feels to be new and understand that they can adjust if they just give it some time. It also stuck out to me that Yoon came to America with just her dad. This surprised me some because it isn't always common to see a single dad but a single parent is common, so this is another way a child would be able to relate in that way. So although it seems to be a child's book it hit real life topics that happen.
A way that a teacher could use this book in a classroom is to bring up the previously mentioned topics. Asking readers if they have experienced being the new student. Discussing how it feels to be in that position and how they could help a new friend feel more comfortable and to make adjusting to a new place a little easier.
October 28, 2009
Yoon is new to the United States. Her family is from Korea. Before she starts school, Yoon's father teaches her to write her name in English. Yoon doesn't like the way it looks. She likes the way her name looks "happy" in Korean. She talks about how "the symbols dance together". In Korean her name means Shining Wisdom. Yoon likes the Korean way better. Her father reminds her that her name will still mean Shinging Wisdom, but she needs to learn to write it in English.
On Yoon's first day of school, the teacher writes "CAT" on the board. Later she gives Yoon a piece of paper with the name Yoon on it, and tells her to write her name on the empty lines underneath it. Yoon wrote "CAT" instead. She wrote "CAT" on every line! The teacher shakes her head and asks Yoon, "So you are a CAT?" A girl in class giggles.
Yoon wants to go back to Korea. She tells her parents it's better there. Her father says "America is your home now." Will Yoon learn to like the way her name looks? Will she learn to like her new home?
This is a charming story about a little girl that is struggling to adjust to life in America. All students will be able to identify with Yoon because of her lively imagination, and they will empathize with her struggle to find herself in this new place.
On Yoon's first day of school, the teacher writes "CAT" on the board. Later she gives Yoon a piece of paper with the name Yoon on it, and tells her to write her name on the empty lines underneath it. Yoon wrote "CAT" instead. She wrote "CAT" on every line! The teacher shakes her head and asks Yoon, "So you are a CAT?" A girl in class giggles.
Yoon wants to go back to Korea. She tells her parents it's better there. Her father says "America is your home now." Will Yoon learn to like the way her name looks? Will she learn to like her new home?
This is a charming story about a little girl that is struggling to adjust to life in America. All students will be able to identify with Yoon because of her lively imagination, and they will empathize with her struggle to find herself in this new place.
November 10, 2017
My Name Is Yoon is about a little girl named Yoon when her father moves their family to America. She has to learn English but she does not want to, she likes her name when it is written in Korean. When she starts school, she learns how to write the word CAT and puts that as her name on her papers. The next day, she draws a picture of a red robin for her teacher and writes her name as ROBIN. The next day, she befriends a girl in her class when they share cupcakes and she writes her name as CUPCAKE. And it's on the last day that Yoon finally feels comfortable and happy enough with her new school to write her name as YOON, embracing her English written name.
This story is very cute and also heart warming, letting the readers follow the adventure of Yoon as if they're going through the same things. It's really easy to understand Yoon's frustration given the lines of text but also the expressions in the drawings. The drawings are very simple but they also provide enough detail to make the characters look completely different. The artist really makes the character's ethnicities be their main point as if to make it the entire point of the story that they are different. All of the images take up the entire space with background colors or images and they seem to be made with water color.
This story is very cute and also heart warming, letting the readers follow the adventure of Yoon as if they're going through the same things. It's really easy to understand Yoon's frustration given the lines of text but also the expressions in the drawings. The drawings are very simple but they also provide enough detail to make the characters look completely different. The artist really makes the character's ethnicities be their main point as if to make it the entire point of the story that they are different. All of the images take up the entire space with background colors or images and they seem to be made with water color.
September 26, 2009
Yoon is a young child that has moved from Korea to America with her family. Her father tells her that she must start to learn things in English and begins by teaching his daughter how to spell her name, Yoon, in English. At the start of her new school Yoon is not sure that is the name she wants to be. As she learns new words from school and friends she tries them out for her own name. As this little girl becomes more comfortable with herself in her new country, she finds her place and is happy to be Yoon.
I found this book to be truly inspiring and heart felt. I can see many children being able to relate to this young child as she is faced with an new and overweleming situation. I think it is a great way to show children that it takes time to find your comfort zone in a new place. I have had a number of students that have joined my class from a different country in the middle of the year, and wish I had read this book before to share with them. As a teacher reading this story, I realize how important it is to give students time to find themselves in new situations and be patient.
I found this book to be truly inspiring and heart felt. I can see many children being able to relate to this young child as she is faced with an new and overweleming situation. I think it is a great way to show children that it takes time to find your comfort zone in a new place. I have had a number of students that have joined my class from a different country in the middle of the year, and wish I had read this book before to share with them. As a teacher reading this story, I realize how important it is to give students time to find themselves in new situations and be patient.
September 28, 2013
Kirkus reviewed and winner of several awards: ALA Notable Children's Books, Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award (2004), and Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year (2008), My Name is Yoon explores the feelings of a child who has immigrated. Yoon does not want to change where she lives or change her name from Korean to English and she resists by imagining her name to be various English words. There is a familiar repetition to the story as she first hears a new English word, then writes that word as her name, then we see the teacher's reaction. The illustrations make her thoughts come alive for the reader. At one point we see her calling herself "cat" and imagining she has grown ears and become a cat.
Reading this book will help to make classmates more sensitive to the feelings and situations of children who are from different places. It could be used for social/emotional discussions of tolerance and acceptance. The writing is a good example of first person narrative and could be used to prompt students to write their own first person stories. Great for children in K-3rd grade.
Reading this book will help to make classmates more sensitive to the feelings and situations of children who are from different places. It could be used for social/emotional discussions of tolerance and acceptance. The writing is a good example of first person narrative and could be used to prompt students to write their own first person stories. Great for children in K-3rd grade.
December 7, 2015
This book's been on my radar since I started compiling a library of children's books that relate to language acquisition, immigration, and cultural exchange. Yoon and her family have just relocated from Korea to the USA. Her father helps her prepare for starting at her new school by teaching her how to write "Yoon" in the Roman alphabet rather than in Hangul. Yoon is resistant since she views that form as changing the meaning of her name. When asked each day at school to practice writing her name, Yoon writes a new word she's learned that day (bird, cupcake, etc). Her choices help her shyly communicate with her teacher as she begins to feel comfortable in her new environment. This book is great for inviting readers to question Yoon's reasons for writing these other words instead of "Yoon" as well as providing a strong-willed female protagonist adjusting to a new setting as well as a new country. The illustration style is painterly and somewhat quirky. (In this book or one of the next ones in the series, one of Yoon's family members has a smile that kept reminding me of those painted by Yue Minjun, and it haunted me a bit.)
March 14, 2012
My Name Is Yoon is a great story for all young children to read. I characterize this story as realistic fiction for nursery and primary readers. Yoon is new to the United States from Korea and she feel like she doesn't quite fit in, like she stands alone. When her father teaches her to write her name in English, she does not like how it looks. Yoon has to learn how to face change at a young age and fit in to a new lifestyle. The illustrations, which won the new illustrator award in 2004, and theme are both very real and appealing for young children. All children, whether moving from another country or starting a new school, face this scary situation in life. I feel like the happy outcome and the realistic pictures given will comfort children. This book can be used while instructing children in multiple ways. You could simply touch base on other cultures, or you could use it to introduce a student from a different culture. My Name Is Yoon could also be used to break the ice on the first day of school because every child is feeling nervous and alone.
Read
October 2, 2018This story portrays a young girl from Korea who is struggling with her name identity. Though she loves her Korean name, which means “shining wisdom”, her father tells her she has to learn to write in English. Yoon tries out new names to find her place in this new country. This story is the winner of an Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award for outstanding illustrations and is an American Library Association’s Notable Children’s Book which recognizes exemplary creative books that nurture children’s interests.
I recommend this book for young readers because the theme of identity – particularly name identity – is relatable for young children. Additionally, it will be particularly relatable for immigrant students as they navigate a balance between identifying with their home country and culture and learning about American expectations. This book represents the Korean culture and language in contrast with American culture. During instruction, this book could be used for discussions about identity in kindergarten or a culture study in 2nd or 3rd grade.
I recommend this book for young readers because the theme of identity – particularly name identity – is relatable for young children. Additionally, it will be particularly relatable for immigrant students as they navigate a balance between identifying with their home country and culture and learning about American expectations. This book represents the Korean culture and language in contrast with American culture. During instruction, this book could be used for discussions about identity in kindergarten or a culture study in 2nd or 3rd grade.
September 29, 2009
Written by Helen Recorvits, illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska, published by Douglas and McIntyre (2003). Recommended for grades k-2.
This is a humorous picture book that explores the feelings a young korean girl as she enters an American school. She struggles with the adjustment to a new language and wants to keep her name as it is in the Korean language. She fights writing her name in english by making up different names for herself, including "bird" and "cat." By the end of the story Yoon has learned to accept that she may have to behave differently in America but that she can still retain her pride for her culture.
This is a humorous picture book that explores the feelings a young korean girl as she enters an American school. She struggles with the adjustment to a new language and wants to keep her name as it is in the Korean language. She fights writing her name in english by making up different names for herself, including "bird" and "cat." By the end of the story Yoon has learned to accept that she may have to behave differently in America but that she can still retain her pride for her culture.
September 20, 2015
A touching story about a young girl learning to be comfortable in a new country.
I appreciated that Yoon's parents tried to be supportive of her. I also appreciated that the teacher was accepting of Yoon working through things. I couldn't help thinking that if the book were set in Canada (or perhaps other parts of the US?) Yoon would have likely also been given a chance to show the teacher and the class how to write her name in Korean.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and the illustrations.
I appreciated that Yoon's parents tried to be supportive of her. I also appreciated that the teacher was accepting of Yoon working through things. I couldn't help thinking that if the book were set in Canada (or perhaps other parts of the US?) Yoon would have likely also been given a chance to show the teacher and the class how to write her name in Korean.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and the illustrations.
May 16, 2012
My Name Is Yoon is a beautifully crafted text about cultural assimilation, immigration, and korean culture. Also embracing freedom in writing the book is a wonderful text to celebrate varied languages and creativity. My favorite line from the book is, "my name looks happy in Korean...The symbols dance together."
Displaying 1 - 30 of 565 reviews