Cooper's Lesson

Although Cooper is hapa (Asian/White) and is not adopted, the author and illustrator are both Korean adoptees (from the book jacket). Cooper's ethnicity/language struggles also apply to the struggles of adoptees who live in both worlds, of home & new country/culture/family/language. Spread the word about this book to adoptive parents who are looking for a story that shows an Asian American child discovering how complex becoming American can be.

Sun Yung Shin and Kim Cogan have answered a need for children's literature that portrays hapa children. I was so pleased to give this book to my nephews, and to keep another copy in my piano studio to share with all the kids I know whose real-life experiences resonate with Cooper's. Shin portrays Cooper as an emotionally complex boy who takes responsibility for his own actions. Shin treats all the characters with dignity and grace--and the prose is lovely. This would be a welcome addition to any children's library -- and it would also be great reading for adults who are interested in how our multicultural world affects children. A wonderful first book by Shin--please write more!

Sun Yung Shin's Cooper's Lesson is a bilingual picture book, written in both English and Korean, telling the story of a young boy who is frustrated over being "half and half." Yet speaking with Mr. Lee, the owner of the neighborhood grocery store, he comes to learn that the nature of a person is not a simply defined, either-or prospect. Kim Cogan's full-color illustrations provide a strong overtone of realism to deftly complement this sometimes complex and highly commended story of identity and self-discovery.

Cooper's Lesson is about a young boy who is embarrassed by his half-Korean, half-Caucasian identity. His mother insists he speak Korean even though he feels like everyone is making fun of him. He dreads encounters with Mr. Lee, a grocery store owner. One day, in his haste to leave, Cooper forgets to pay for a brush. Accused of shoplifting, he has to spend days in Mr. Lee's shop. Cooper learns through spending time with Mr. Lee to appreciate his multi-cultural identity.Overall, this book deals with sensitive biracial issues in a way for children to understand. It seems like this is the first book of its kind and I can't seem to find anything bad about it. The drawings are very good and capture the characters emotions. The korean and english text makes it a very good learning tool for children.