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Halmoni & Family #1
Where's Halmoni?: A Korean Children's Book
Where's Halmoni? is a picture book in a graphic novel style, which follows the story of a young Korean girl and boy whose search for their missing grandmother leads them into a world inspired by Korean folklore, filled with mischievous goblins (dokkebi), a greedy tiger, a clever rabbit, and a wily fox.
Two young children pay a visit to Halmoni (grandmother in Korean), only to discover she's not home. As they search for her, noticing animal tracks covering the floor, they discover a pair of traditional Korean doors, slightly ajar, new to their grandmother's home. Their curiosity gets the best of them, and the adventure begins when they crawl through and discover an unfamiliar, fantastical world. As they continue to search for their grandmother and solve the mystery of the tracks, they go deeper into the world of Korean folklore and experience their cultural heritage in unexpected ways, meeting a number of Korean-speaking characters along the way.
Translations to Korean text in the story and more about the folktale-inspired characters are included at the end.
Two young children pay a visit to Halmoni (grandmother in Korean), only to discover she's not home. As they search for her, noticing animal tracks covering the floor, they discover a pair of traditional Korean doors, slightly ajar, new to their grandmother's home. Their curiosity gets the best of them, and the adventure begins when they crawl through and discover an unfamiliar, fantastical world. As they continue to search for their grandmother and solve the mystery of the tracks, they go deeper into the world of Korean folklore and experience their cultural heritage in unexpected ways, meeting a number of Korean-speaking characters along the way.
Translations to Korean text in the story and more about the folktale-inspired characters are included at the end.
96 pages, Hardcover
First published October 3, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews
July 27, 2022
Kind of a Korean riff on Alice In Wonderland - beautiful art! Really like books like this that introduce you to new cultures; I think we all need to learn more about each other so that we can all peacefully coexist. Hate to admit how very little I know about Korea - next year I will put my 'reading spotlight' on books that will help me learn more!
July 18, 2024
In Julie Kim's 2017 ownVoices graphic novel inspired by Korean folklore, in Where's Halmoni, young Noona and her little brother Joon step through a traditional Korean closet into a land of folklore and fantasy whilst trying to find their Halmoni (their grandmother), whom they are visiting but who seems to have magically disappeared along with her pot of red bean soup (which the children can still smell but which like Halmoni is nowhere to be seen).
Now as author and illustrator, Kim has divided Noona and Joon's journey in Where's Halmoni into three separate sections, with each highlighting both lovable and also untrustworthy figures from traditional Korean stories and who either help or try to hinder the children as they search for their grandmother, a moon rabbit, Korean goblins known as Dokkebi, a tiger and a nine tailed fox (all expressively, visually stunningly drawn by Julie Kim to reflect their folkloric nature, so that the rabbit looks lovable and cuddly, the goblins, the Dokkebi appear as fun-loving, mischievous but generally sweet-tempered, the tiger as nastily grouchy as well as prone to cheating and the nine tailed fox as slyly mysterious), and with Where’s Halmoni? both textually and visually featuring all the thrills, morals as well as the humour one might desire from folktales conceptualised specifically for children (such as for example Noona and Joon being presented as quickly making friends with the moon rabbit and the goblins by offering them food, exchanging presents and trying to outsmart the cheating tiger by playing a rather hilarious game rock/paper/scissors) and at the same time organically teaching with Where's Halmoni? about Korean culture and equally showing two main protagonists who are both Korean and American.
And yes, both my adult reading self and also my inner child totally love love love how Julie Kim makes use of language in Where's Halmoni, that while Noona, Joon and also Halmoni speak English, ALL of the Korean folklore creatures respond in Korean, which shows that Where's Halmoni? combines Korean culture and lore with the fact that Noona, Joon and their family obviously do not reside in Korea but in a country where the mother tongue is English. But well, my above mentioned linguistic delight notwithstanding and albeit the visual context in Where's Halmoni makes pretty clear what is being said by the rabbit, the goblins, the tiger and the fox even for those of us unfamiliar with Korean and with Korean characters, I still do kind of wish that Where's Halmoni? could provide translations of the Korean as footnotes and not just a pictorial chart in the back (and which is also why even though I have very much enjoyed Where's Halmoni? and do warmly recommend Kim's combination of words and artwork, my star rating will have to be four and certainly not yet five stars).
Now as author and illustrator, Kim has divided Noona and Joon's journey in Where's Halmoni into three separate sections, with each highlighting both lovable and also untrustworthy figures from traditional Korean stories and who either help or try to hinder the children as they search for their grandmother, a moon rabbit, Korean goblins known as Dokkebi, a tiger and a nine tailed fox (all expressively, visually stunningly drawn by Julie Kim to reflect their folkloric nature, so that the rabbit looks lovable and cuddly, the goblins, the Dokkebi appear as fun-loving, mischievous but generally sweet-tempered, the tiger as nastily grouchy as well as prone to cheating and the nine tailed fox as slyly mysterious), and with Where’s Halmoni? both textually and visually featuring all the thrills, morals as well as the humour one might desire from folktales conceptualised specifically for children (such as for example Noona and Joon being presented as quickly making friends with the moon rabbit and the goblins by offering them food, exchanging presents and trying to outsmart the cheating tiger by playing a rather hilarious game rock/paper/scissors) and at the same time organically teaching with Where's Halmoni? about Korean culture and equally showing two main protagonists who are both Korean and American.
And yes, both my adult reading self and also my inner child totally love love love how Julie Kim makes use of language in Where's Halmoni, that while Noona, Joon and also Halmoni speak English, ALL of the Korean folklore creatures respond in Korean, which shows that Where's Halmoni? combines Korean culture and lore with the fact that Noona, Joon and their family obviously do not reside in Korea but in a country where the mother tongue is English. But well, my above mentioned linguistic delight notwithstanding and albeit the visual context in Where's Halmoni makes pretty clear what is being said by the rabbit, the goblins, the tiger and the fox even for those of us unfamiliar with Korean and with Korean characters, I still do kind of wish that Where's Halmoni? could provide translations of the Korean as footnotes and not just a pictorial chart in the back (and which is also why even though I have very much enjoyed Where's Halmoni? and do warmly recommend Kim's combination of words and artwork, my star rating will have to be four and certainly not yet five stars).
February 2, 2020
Korean folktale characters in a story featuring two contemporary kids and their grandmother. A nice fusion of styles.
Also, Noona and Joon remind me of Emmy and Max from Dragon Tales.
Library copy
Also, Noona and Joon remind me of Emmy and Max from Dragon Tales.
Library copy
May 6, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this graphic novel meets picture book. Infused with Korean folklore, fantastic illustrations, and a pair of siblings on a quest to find their grandmother, this is a delightful adventure. I loved it.
November 2, 2017
A gorgeous book with rich and detailed art that tells a fun, old-fashioned tale of magical adventures with just enough modern touches to make it amazing. Really love the traditional Korean mythological figures and the bilingual language. Just a really great book.
February 7, 2019
Delightful picture book/graphic novel (it's 96 pages, so I'm not sure which category it belongs in), about missing grandmothers, portals to other worlds, tigers and trickster spirits.
Note: I didn't know any of the korean folklore it was referring to, but it was perfectly easy to pick up on things from the art and story.
Note: I didn't know any of the korean folklore it was referring to, but it was perfectly easy to pick up on things from the art and story.
September 2, 2021
This children’s book is a wonderful collaboration of traditional Korean art and graphic novel with an exciting storyline.
Joon and Noona followed halmoni’s (grandma in Korean) track to find her and met Korean symbolic animals and goblins. They cleverly won the games to finally come home, but didn’t find out halmoni’s real secret.
I loved every inch of this book—the story actually started from the inside of the cover and did not end ‘til the very last cover of the book. The pictures were beautiful and had meanings. I enjoyed the usage of Korean and English in a very fun way.
Excellent book for kids of any age!
- Sunny K.
Click here to find the book at Prince William Public Libraries.
Joon and Noona followed halmoni’s (grandma in Korean) track to find her and met Korean symbolic animals and goblins. They cleverly won the games to finally come home, but didn’t find out halmoni’s real secret.
I loved every inch of this book—the story actually started from the inside of the cover and did not end ‘til the very last cover of the book. The pictures were beautiful and had meanings. I enjoyed the usage of Korean and English in a very fun way.
Excellent book for kids of any age!
- Sunny K.
Click here to find the book at Prince William Public Libraries.
August 28, 2018
I love this charming little book which brings several Korean folktale characters vividly to life as it follows two Korean-American children searching for their Halmoni (grandmother). The illustrations are fabulous and are worth looking over many times. A delight to read!
March 28, 2024
Updated review - If you like graphic novels or reading the illustrations, you'll enjoy this story that takes characters from Korean folktales, uses Korean words throughout and puts them both in a whole new story in which two children, Joon and Noona try to find their missing Halmoni (grandmother). This would pair nicely with Lon Po Po, another story with a missing grandmother and children who outwit an animal.
Original review - Looks like a picture book, reads like a graphic novel. Told with characters from Korean folktales, it includes a translation guide of the Korean words at the end.
Original review - Looks like a picture book, reads like a graphic novel. Told with characters from Korean folktales, it includes a translation guide of the Korean words at the end.
December 1, 2017
Beautifully illustrated and fun to read. This has a perfectly balanced blend of traditional and contemporary and introduces Korean folk tale characters to a young audience in a way that will appeal to modern, Western readers.
November 11, 2025
So well-written, well-crafted, and creative!
Has all the Korean folklore elements woven in beautifully. I really wish this was considered for the Caldecott medal. Yeah I’m biased but i believe it does deserve that…
Has all the Korean folklore elements woven in beautifully. I really wish this was considered for the Caldecott medal. Yeah I’m biased but i believe it does deserve that…
July 31, 2019
It's KOREAN!! YAAASSSS
January 24, 2018
Two kids arrive at Halmoni's house (grandma's house) but can't find her anywhere. They do find a strange door though, and traveling through it takes them to an old folklore version of Korea filled with a clever rabbit, some hungry goblins, a conniving tiger, and sly fox. Can they find Halmoni and make it out when everyone speaks only Korean...and really fast at that so they can hardly understand?
This was a fun adventure with Korean folklore characters and a grandma who may have some big secrets (see if readers can find evidence to support their theories of where grandma was). I like that all of the folklore critters speak Korean and find it realistic that Korean American kids would be kind of lost in trying to follow them. Like the little girl, I was able to follow just enough of the Korean to figure out what's going on. (I can phonetically read Korean though I only speak a little.) But don't worry if you can't read Korean. The kids explain their guesses to each other and through that and illustrations you can easily figure out what's going on. There's also a translation of what all the characters say in the back along with a note on the roles these folklore characters traditionally play in Korean tales and what inspired the author/illustrator to create this. Definitely recommended if you are looking for a story with Korean folklore elements or something a little more exotic. And if you're learning Korean you can work on practicing reading it. Also, if you're worried about the goblins, don't be. They are very friendly and there's nothing scary.
This was a fun adventure with Korean folklore characters and a grandma who may have some big secrets (see if readers can find evidence to support their theories of where grandma was). I like that all of the folklore critters speak Korean and find it realistic that Korean American kids would be kind of lost in trying to follow them. Like the little girl, I was able to follow just enough of the Korean to figure out what's going on. (I can phonetically read Korean though I only speak a little.) But don't worry if you can't read Korean. The kids explain their guesses to each other and through that and illustrations you can easily figure out what's going on. There's also a translation of what all the characters say in the back along with a note on the roles these folklore characters traditionally play in Korean tales and what inspired the author/illustrator to create this. Definitely recommended if you are looking for a story with Korean folklore elements or something a little more exotic. And if you're learning Korean you can work on practicing reading it. Also, if you're worried about the goblins, don't be. They are very friendly and there's nothing scary.
November 30, 2017
This was fantastic! I immensely enjoyed the infusion of Korean and English together. It made for such a sweet tale of siblings encountering bunnies, goblins, and tigers as they search for their grandma. That bunny was SO cute and the goblins were SO silly. It was a fun read and all of the Korean was translated in the back, which was quite convenient since I didn't have to even pull out my phone for Google Translate ;) .
January 23, 2018
A magical book that sends two modern children into a fantasy world of Korean folklore to look for their grandma (halmoni). The creatures they meet speak in Korean, written out in Hangul, and while the translations in the back are informative, they're not necessary to enjoy the story. A wonderful, simple quest story that almost feels like a short Korean Alice in Wonderland.
January 7, 2018
After rereading this one, I found myself bumping it up to a 5 star rating because I had missed the magic of the book when first reading it. A beautiful story of two siblings trying to find their grandmother, they encounter some magical things. It's a simple and beautifully illustrated book. I really enjoyed it.
December 6, 2019
I lovethe format of this picture book. Having it in a more graphic-novel type format definitely makes it an enjoyable read, and the style is one of the cutest styles I've ever seen for a picture book. I'm definitely taking notes.
Where's Halmoni? is a story in which two children on a search for their missing grandmother leads them through a world of Korean folklore.
I love that the story is vivid, beautiful, and dynamic. Each character has emotions and expressions unique to each of them, and again, that style is to die for! I just wish the characters they run into were more fleshed out. Why does the tiger covet that [spoiler, lmao]? Just because he's greedy? I mean, I know this is a picture book, but it is a lot longer than most, and just a simple sentence here would have worked. Why did everyone want that thing, too? I would've liked to know - and again, just one sentence would've worked.
Anyway, a very enjoyable picture book, made better by the book's format and illustration style. I might see if Julie Kim has other accounts or illustrations somewhere where I can follow ...
Where's Halmoni? is a story in which two children on a search for their missing grandmother leads them through a world of Korean folklore.
I love that the story is vivid, beautiful, and dynamic. Each character has emotions and expressions unique to each of them, and again, that style is to die for! I just wish the characters they run into were more fleshed out. Why does the tiger covet that [spoiler, lmao]? Just because he's greedy? I mean, I know this is a picture book, but it is a lot longer than most, and just a simple sentence here would have worked. Why did everyone want that thing, too? I would've liked to know - and again, just one sentence would've worked.
Anyway, a very enjoyable picture book, made better by the book's format and illustration style. I might see if Julie Kim has other accounts or illustrations somewhere where I can follow ...
November 26, 2020
Oh my goodness! This book was such a delight to read! The art style and story telling were so well done - incorporating traditional Korean art and folktales with a gentle contemporary spin. I loved how the story starts and ends inside the cover, and how there are pages where it’s just the gorgeous illustrations driving the journey. There were mini- chapters (The Rabbit, The Goblins, and The Tiger) that encompass little bits of lore as the kids interact with each of the creatures. The book also incorporates some Korean words, in Korean characters, in it with a small dictionary at the end to show what each of the words spelled out in Korean means. I also appreciate the page of explanation at the end that describes where each of the creatures in the story came from in traditional lore.
My favorite part is how there are little hidden elements throughout the whole story that connect things around halmoni’s house to the folklore world and vise-versa. I particularly liked the mirror behind halmoni, and then behind noona.
This is one of those books that I was compelled to read slowly to enjoy the journey and the illustrations. The illustrations are so beautifully done, I could just spend hours looking at all the little details. Highly recommended.
My favorite part is how there are little hidden elements throughout the whole story that connect things around halmoni’s house to the folklore world and vise-versa. I particularly liked the mirror behind halmoni, and then behind noona.
This is one of those books that I was compelled to read slowly to enjoy the journey and the illustrations. The illustrations are so beautifully done, I could just spend hours looking at all the little details. Highly recommended.
September 23, 2019
This is such a fun picture book that any child can enjoy, but I think children of Korean descent in particular will really enjoy it. The art style is absolutely beautiful (I found myself dwelling on the page to stare at the pictures longer than usual) and the story is entertaining and funny.
The story follows two children who find their grandmother (the titular Halmoni) has disappeared, and follow her into a magical world inspired by Korean folklore. The characters of this world speak Korean, but the children do not. They have to follow characters' gestures and facial expressions to figure out what they're saying. The Korean characters' dialogue is presented in hangul (the Korean alphabet), which I loved, and felt it would be fun for kids (and their parents) who can't read hangul to figure out what they might be saying. At the end of the book, there is a page that translates all of the hangul so readers can refer to it for help.
This was a great story that would be a fantastic addition to any child's picture book library.
The story follows two children who find their grandmother (the titular Halmoni) has disappeared, and follow her into a magical world inspired by Korean folklore. The characters of this world speak Korean, but the children do not. They have to follow characters' gestures and facial expressions to figure out what they're saying. The Korean characters' dialogue is presented in hangul (the Korean alphabet), which I loved, and felt it would be fun for kids (and their parents) who can't read hangul to figure out what they might be saying. At the end of the book, there is a page that translates all of the hangul so readers can refer to it for help.
This was a great story that would be a fantastic addition to any child's picture book library.
August 5, 2022
This comic is utterly fantastic.
A simple store story of two English-speaking Korean diaspora children whose grandmother is missing, leading them to an adventure in a fantasy world packed with whimsical folklore characters.
The panels are packed with little tidbits and details that are fully Korean, both in the traditional and in the modern sense... rice cookers, slippers, decor... The traditional characters speak in Korean (with some words of English here and there), but the story is laid out in such a way that it can please both Korean and Non-Korean speakers (and there's a glossary at the end).
A simple store story of two English-speaking Korean diaspora children whose grandmother is missing, leading them to an adventure in a fantasy world packed with whimsical folklore characters.
The panels are packed with little tidbits and details that are fully Korean, both in the traditional and in the modern sense... rice cookers, slippers, decor... The traditional characters speak in Korean (with some words of English here and there), but the story is laid out in such a way that it can please both Korean and Non-Korean speakers (and there's a glossary at the end).
July 26, 2018
This book is expressive, colorful, and magical! Based on some Koren folk lore, two siblings are looking for their grandmother and find themselves in a different land! This book is very cute and fun, it has a Alice in Wonderland feel to it. Be sure that you read the back for the folk-lore explanations, translations, and to learn more about the author! ~Ashley
April 5, 2024
This book was adorable, and my students loved it. I teach English in Korea and books like these are perfect. The art is so colorful and story is funny and interesting, so it kept them engaged more than many other books that we’ve read together :)
December 11, 2017
WTF just happened?
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December 26, 2018
Love the connections to Korean folktales. The illustrations are so rich and interesting.
January 8, 2020
Beautiful artwork, cute story.
June 13, 2019
Epilogue and prologue on the end papers so be sure to start and end with them. While there is text, there is much to be discovered in the artwork for telling the story. This is required on some pages which are wordless, but also gives you the opportunity on pages with the text in Korean. There are translations at the back which add to the humor once you know what was really said, but the context gives you the meaning without those translations--still, I appreciated them and without them you wouldn't know about designer goblin pantry. There are short chapters, each introducing a folktale character featured next, with the Korean characters and transliteration along with the English. Clues (did you notice the girl's reflection at the end?) and humorous touches throughout (love the goblin sipping from a juice box and the rock/scissors/paper battle). Rich, saturated colors for the art. Characters and landscapes in a style that I assume is reminiscent of Korean art. The author/illustrator included a bit of info about the Korean folktale characters she used in her book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2021
Where's Halmoni felt like a starter graphic novel--the perfect gem for students who are ready to move from picture book to something else. It kind of reminded me of Little Red Riding Hood. What a neat story that uses Korean folktales.
January 11, 2018
What is it like to be bicultural? What do you keep when you move to a completely new country? I love how the 2 grandchildren learn about folk characters in their search for Halmoni (grandmother), but don't understand the Korean (written in Korean), and the Korean-style of gorgeous landscape that they wander through is very evocative. They even play the Korean version of rock/paper/scissors! End notes explain the stock characters, and translate the Korean. The end papers give what happened to Halmoni before and after the actual story in the book.
January 4, 2018
Epilogue and prologue on the end papers so be sure to start and end with them. While there is text, there is much to be discovered in the artwork for telling the story. This is required on some pages which are wordless, but also gives you the opportunity on pages with the text in Korean. There are translations at the back which add to the humor once you know what was really said, but the context gives you the meaning without those translations--still, I appreciated them and without them you wouldn't know about designer goblin panty. There are short chapters, each introducing a folktale character featured next, with the Korean characters and transliteration along with the English. Clues (did you notice the girl's reflection at the end?) and humorous touches throughout (love the goblin sipping from a juice box and the rock/scissors/paper battle). Rich, saturated colors for the art. Characters and landscapes in a style that I assume is reminiscent of Korean art. The author/illustrator included a bit of info about the Korean folktale characters she used in her book.
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