Available on July 22nd, 2025!
A book about doljabi, dol, Korean 1st birthday party, and family love!

ISBN (Hardcover) 9780823459759
Holiday House | Age 4-8

Available to pre-order wherever books are sold including:
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Yoomi wants her baby cousin to be happy–on her 1st birthday and for the rest of her life. Can Yoomi help?

The whole family is gathering to celebrate baby cousin’s 1st birthday, dol. They will do the doljabi! Dasom’s mommy will assemble a microphone, a ball, money, yarn, a paintbrush, and other things. Dasom will pick something, and that will decide her future. If she picks a ball, she will be an athlete. If she picks a paintbrush, she will be an artist. 

Yoomi is worried. What if Dasom picks a paintbrush and doesn’t want to be an artist? Grandma assures Yoomi that Dasom can become whatever she wants–but maybe she will be a creative person, just like an artist. 

Then baby Dasom’s choice surprises everyone.

Yoomi's concern displays empathy, and her questioning shows a girl exercising her critical thinking muscles in this delightful story about family customs and relationships.

*Check back in May for activity kits, event schedules, and more!

ISBN (Hardcover) 9780374389284
Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) | Age 4-8

Available anywhere books are sold including:
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Themes: Family - Multigenerational, Holidays & Celebrations, Diversity & Multicultural, Asian American Interest, Customs, Traditions, Korean Culture

★ A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Seollal, the Korean Lunar New Year, is Mina's favorite day of the year. Mina can't wait to share the customs of Seollal with all of her friends at school. She will show her classmates her colorful hanbok, demonstrate how to do sebae, and then everyone will make tasty tteokguk in the cooking room. Yum! Her little brother may even join in on the fun... if he can find a way out of his bad mood.

This joyful book about sharing age-old cultural celebrations with new friends certainly is a must-have book for the New Year's season.

★★★ REVIEWS ARE IN ★★★
“This title is a simple, warmhearted introduction to Seollal, and is another example of Kim’s skill at spotlighting Korean culture in an inviting and accessible way . . . Recommended for general purchase, here is a sweet story, filled with goodwill, of one girl and her family generously sharing their traditions with others.” ―School Library Journal

Download the Activity Kit created in collaboration with Korean Cultural Center, NY

-Various Video Resources Available including:
*A glossary of Korean terms from the book
*An illustrated instruction of how to fold a bokjumoni (lucky bag) from the book
*Cooking teokguk video on KidLit TV.

-Interviews for behind stories and the process of the making-
Jama’s Alphabet Soup!
Mr. Schu Reads: Watch. Connect. Read.

ISBN (Hardcover) 9780823444472
ISBN (Paperback) 9780823453283
Holiday House | Age 3-7

Available anywhere books are sold including:
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Amazon
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Themes: Animals/Fiction, Asian American Interest, Customs Traditions, Family & Relationships, Gratitude, Korean Culture

★ A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Yoomi and Daddy are going to Koreatown today!This story celebrates family, resilience, and Korean culture.

Yoomi has planned the perfect Sunday! But the shirt she wants to wear is in the laundry. And she doesn't have the seaweed she needs for a kimbap breakfast.

So Yoomi wears another shirt and eats a different breakfast, and she and Daddy take a bus to Koreatown, where they read Korean books, eat Korean treats such as patbingsu and tteokbokki, and visit Grandma. Though Yoomi's perfect day is filled with mishaps and things don't always go her way, Yoomi learns the advantages of being resilient and open-minded. Yoomi's imperfect day is better than she ever could have imagined!

A family recipe for kimbap is included.

★★★ REVIEWS ARE IN ★★★
"A story everyone can relate to with the bonus of Korean cultural information." —School Library Journal

"Once again Kim explores universal experiences, in this case bad days, while highlighting the comforts and joys of Korean culture, her signature bright and colorful cartoons drawing attention to all the small, delectable details of Koreatown. . . . Sweet and accessible: Readers will savor Yoomi’s latest adventure."—Kirkus Reviews

Download the Activity Kit
Download the Educator’s Guide

-Interviews for behind stories and the process of the making-
Jama’s Alphabet Soup
Mr. Schu Reads - Watch. Connect. Read.

ISBN (Hardcover) 9780823443604
ISBN (Paperback) 9780823451173
Holiday House | Age 3-7

Available anywhere books are sold including:
Bookshop
Amazon
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★ The Junior Library Guild Selection
★ Bank Street College’s Best Children’s Book of the Year (2021)

Yoomi wants a yellow belt. But she's afraid to break the board. Grandma to the rescue!

Yoomi and her friends are ready to take on the test for their yellow belts in taekwondo. But Yoomi is afraid to break a board. Meanwhile, Grandma is struggling to learn something new, too.

But Yoomi and Grandma encourage and inspire each other. Yoomi discovers how, with persistence, focus, deep breathing, and above all, a loving Grandma, even the toughest challenges can be overcome.

This companion to No Kimchi for Me emphasizes self-confidence, determination, and the value of family. Backmatter about taekwondo, including some Korean vocabulary, is included.

★★★ REVIEWS ARE IN ★★★

"Incredibly pleasant, colorful illustrations pair with an always engaging subject and valuable lessons to make this a winner."—Booklist

"In this follow-up to No Kimchi for Me (2017), Kim utilizes her signature bold cartoon style, developing distinct characters with touches of humor. Backmatter includes explanations of taekwondo, symbols of Korean culture, and a glossary. A sweet tale of shared perseverance that bursts with color, culture, and energy."—Kirkus Reviews

"Created with pencil, colored pencil, and pastel and assembled digitally, Kim’s art features panels, thought bubbles, and a variety of expressive, energetic animals. Bits of Korean are spoken and written throughout, lending authenticity to this story, which will resonate with anyone who has faced down an obstacle." —Publishers Weekly

Download the Activity Kit
Download the Worksheet

-Interviews for behind stories and the process of the making-
Mr Schu Reads - Watch. Connect. Read.
*Podcast with Matthew Winner from Children’s Book Podcast

ISBN (Hardcover) 9780823437627
ISBN (Paperback) 9780823444366

Age 3-7 | Guided Reading Level: H
Themes: Animals/Fiction, Asian American Interest, Customs Traditions, Family & Relationships, New Experience

Available anywhere books are sold including:
Bookshop
Amazon
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★ The Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
★ Bank Street College’s Best Children’s Book of the Year (2018)
★ A Baker’s Dozen (2018): The Best Children’s Books for Family Literacy by The Pennsylvania Center for the Book
★ Amazon Teacher’s Pick

Yoomi loves Grandma's cooking—except for stinky, spicy kimchi.

"You can't eat it because you're a baby," her brothers tease. And they don't play with babies. Determined to prove she's not a baby, Yoomi tries to find a way to make kimchi taste better—but not even ice cream can help. Luckily, Grandma has a good idea, and soon everyone has a new food to enjoy. 

Celebrating family, food, and growing up, this story about a Korean-American family will appeal to picky eaters and budding foodies alike.  Aram Kim's lively art is filled with expressive characters and meticulous details—and of course, mouth-watering illustrations of traditional Korean dishes and ingredients. 

Backmatter includes information about kimchi and how it's made, and best of all, a recipe for Grandma's kimchi pancakes to try yourself!

★★★ REVIEWS ARE IN ★★★
“This fun and engaging story about food, family, and tradition is broadly appealing as a read-aloud or read-alone selection.” — School Library Journal (starred review)

"Distinctive patterns, unusual perspectives, and intriguing details add to the illustrations appeal. . . . This brisk, bright family story effectively conveys a universal experience through a very specific cultural lens."—Kirkus Reviews

"Using pencil, pastel, and digital manipulation, Kim (Cat on the Bus) creates a crisp and cozy domestic environment for her cat family"—Publishers Weekly

Download the Activity Kit
Download Teacher’s Guide

-Interviews for behind stories and the process of the making-
Let’s Talk Picture Books
Jama's Alphabet Soup
Mr. Schu Reads - Watch. Connect. Read.

ISBN (Hardcover) 9780823436477
ISBN (Paperback) 9780823440375
Holiday House | Age: 3-6 | Reading Level: T
Themes: Animals/Fiction, Asian American Interest, Family & Relationships, Intergenerational, Preschool

Buy the Paperback at:
Bookshop
Amazon
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* Children’s Choice Reading List 2017 by ILA/CBC
* NYPL Summer Reading List 2019

Follow a stray cat as she braves the snowy city streets to find a home in this nearly-wordless picture book.
A calico cat with curious eyes cautiously approaches a grocery store. . . . only to be shooed away by the owner with a broom. She keeps wandering, and tries to climb on a city bus-- but the driver tells her to SCRAM!
Disheartened, the cat huddles down as snow begins to fall-- until another bus pulls up, and the driver welcomes her aboard. And when an old man sits down beside her, the cat makes a friend for life— and finally finds the home she’s been searching for.
A purr-fect pick for cat lovers, this heartwarming picture book features a simple text, heavy with onomatopoeia, and striking, bold illustrations that carry the story, depicting the charming cat’s range of emotions.
See how a simple act of kindness can change lives forever. Young readers will empathize with the strong emotional content—hunger, loneliness, and rejection, giving way to contentment and joy—and delight in the expressive illustrations.

★★★ REVIEWS ARE IN ★★★
"Kim makes a solid debut with this story of an endearingly dogged feline . . . the pictures do the heavy lifting, and Kim— who works in generously scaled, clearly delineated shapes— creates a sense of momentum through imaginative framing"—Publishers Weekly

"First-time author-illustrator Kim combines pastels and colored pencils digitally to create clean, spare illustrations. . . . The simple story comes to a very happy ending, with the clever closing endpapers showing human footprints alongside the paw prints."—Horn Book Magazine

"This sweet, nearly wordless tale is likely to find an appreciative audience among cat lovers and children just beginning to sound words out on their own."—Kirkus Reviews

Download the Activity Kit
Download the Holiday Coloring Page

-Interviews for behind stories and the process of the making-
NYPL blog interview
7 impossible Things before Breakfast