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.
Reviews
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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*Starred Review* PreS-Gr. 3. Both author and illustrator are Korean American, and their poignant picture book is an intimate look at a biracial child's bewilderment, denial, anger, and, finally, acceptance about being "half and half." Cooper's father is white; his mother is Korean. People always ask Cooper where he's from, and they look at him funny if he says he's American. He hates going to the neighborhood store, where Mr. Lee scolds the boy for not speaking Korean. Angry and frustrated, Cooper shoplifts. Mr. Lee catches him and makes him work in the store after school, and the two become friends. Mr. Lee shares his personal story and helps Cooper accept that it's OK not to fit into a box, but there's no simple, sentimental "lesson" here, despite the book's title. Language is the heart of the story, which is told in both English and Korean. The beautiful full-page oil paintings draw on several traditions to reveal the problems and the riches of the boy's cross-cultural identity. A distant view of the store window evokes Cooper's alienation; in contrast are the close-up, impressionistic portraits of the scowling boy at home and outside. Many immigrant families will want this for the truth it tells about the important role of language and the bonds across race, culture, and generation. Hazel Rochman
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