Cooper's Lesson - Hardcover

Sun Yung Shin

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0892391936 ISBN 13: 9780892391936

Publisher: Children's Book Press, 2004

Synopsis

Cooper's Lesson is an inspiring story about identity and intergenerational friendship, featuring a young biracial boy, written in both English and Korean. Cooper has had about enough of being half and half. And he's really had enough of Mr. Lee, the owner of his neighborhood grocery store, speaking to him in Korean even though Cooper can't keep up. Frustrated, he often wonders why things have to be so complicated. Why can't he just be one race or the other? But one moment in Mr. Lee's store changes everything. Soon Cooper realizes that the things that make up a person are never simple — whether one talks about them in English or Korean. Richly hued oil paintings and tender vivid prose combine to bring the characters to life.

About this title

About the Author:

Sun Yung Shin - was born in Seoul, South Korea in 1974. She was adopted by American parents in 1975 and grew up in the Chicago area. A poet, essayist, and teacher, Sun Yung now lives in Minneapolis with her husband and their two young children.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 3-5-Cooper, who has a Korean mother and a white, American father, is called "half and half" by his cousin. With his mixed heritage, the boy doesn't know where he fits in. When he goes to the Korean grocery, he is overwhelmed by a language of which he knows very little. He concludes that Mr. Lee, the owner, is laughing at him. In retaliation, Cooper shoplifts a brush for his mother. Caught in the act, he must work off his debt and learns that Mr. Lee's life in the United States has been difficult because of the language barrier. The man also listens to Cooper's frustrations. Eventually, the two come to a better understanding of their own and one another's problems. Told in gentle language, this quiet story focuses on the challenges of being caught between two cultures. The book follows through on the bilingual theme by presenting the text in both English and Korean. The artwork features wide brush strokes and large flat areas of color. Backgrounds are often minimal, while the people are more brightly painted. Using few details, Cogan skillfully captures frustration, confusion, and understanding in the characters' faces. This story can be used to explore and stimulate discussion about issues of identity.-Carolyn Janssen, Children's Learning Center of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH
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About this edition

• Publisher: Children's Book Press
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0892391936
• ISBN 13: 9780892391936
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Kim Cogan