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Lead Review

  • Book: When My Name Was Keoko
  • Location: South Korea
  • Author: Linda Sue Park

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Content

Linda Sue Park’s When My Name Was Keoko tells the historical fiction tale of the Kim family from 1940 to 1945 through the final years of Korea’s occupation by Japan. Told in the fist person and alternating between 10-year-old daughter, Sun-hee, and 13-year-old son, Tae-yul, the tale portrays the rigid roles family members play in traditional Korean culture based on sex and birth order. Park uses the Korean terms of address such as Hynungnim (older brother used by younger brother) and Opah (older brother used by younger sister) throughout the story to help readers feel the “rank, respect, and affection” in a Korean family.

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