Krista Kim-Bap

Angela Ahn, Author

Second Story Press, Fiction, Apr. 18, 2018

Suitable for ages: 8-12

Pages: 158

Themes: Korean food, Culture, Family relationships, Fitting in, Friendships, Diversity, Multicultural

Book Synopsis: Krista and Jason have been best friends since preschool. It never mattered that he was a boy with reddish-brown hair and green eyes, and she was the “Korean girl” at school. And Jason has always loved hanging out with Krista’s family — especially for the food!

Now in fifth grade, everyone in Krista and Jason’s class is preparing their Heritage Month projects. But Krista has mixed feelings about being her school’s “Korean Ambassador.” Should she ask her sometimes grouchy grandma to teach the class how to cook traditional Korean kimbap?

With a new friendship pulling her away from Jason, and the pressure of trying to please her grandma, grade five is going to be interesting.

Why I like this book:

Angela Ahn has written a sweetly satisfying coming of age novel about an 11-year-old girl, who is a third-generation Korean-Canadian trying to fit in at school. The author creates a nice balance between cultural traditions, differences, family relationships and friendships.

Krista is a feisty protagonist who seems comfortable with herself. Somewhat a tomboy, she prefers jeans and t-shirts and wears her hair in a pony tail. She spends a lot of time with her best friend Jason, until she’s invited to a “Red Carpet” birthday party by a popular girl at school. This means Krista has to wear a dress and her older sister helps her modernize a traditional hanbok. Her outfit is a hit and the girls invite Krista to hang with them at lunch and after school. This cuts into time with Jason and she is torn between wanting to fit in, be true to herself, trust her instincts and be loyal to Jason.

There are many mouth-watering food scenes in this story and readers will learn about Korean dishes, like kimchi and kimbap, as Krista builds a relationship with her traditional grandmother. She asks her grandmother to teach her how to cook and be part her classroom family heritage project.

This story is perfect for diverse classroom settings. It is a fun, realistic and fast-paced novel that tackles interesting issues for a Korean-Canadian tween living in Vancouver. It’s a book worth reading!

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