(2) K-3 An enchanting look at a child's quest for belonging. Nari is a quiet, dreamy sort of girl, and at times her bustling, multigenerational Asian American household is a bit too raucous for her liking. As she peers out her apartment window and hears the rumbling of an elevated train, she imagines hopping on and riding to someplace beautiful and a bit more serene. She is soon transported to a magical forest with a treetop nest, then a lovely beach with a sea breeze, a coral reef under the waves, and a magnificent library full of books. Nari's musings take her on a prehistoric jaunt with some dinosaurs and even into space, where she makes a wish on the brightest star. After a while, she longs to share her discoveries with her family and finds that she misses her parents' laughter, her grandparents' stories, and her sister's singing. She decides to catch the next train home, "where her favorite people in the world are gathered." Korean American author-illustrator Kim's (The Grandmaster's Daughter, rev. 1/22) mixed-media art is dynamic, subtly blending realism with touches of whimsy and lush naturalistic detail. The palette is equally pleasing, with just the right distinctions between cityscapes and dreamscapes. This understated and creative picture book takes on the theme of being true to oneself and ends with the realization that "there's no place like home."

Reviewer: Luann Toth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2023

(2) K-3 In this gently funny and fantastical picture book, readers are introduced to a quiet village, to a "modest dojang...a school of martial arts," and to Sunny, the dojang grandmaster's small daughter, already a black belt. As Sunny proceeds through the activities of a typical day in the dojang (helping the other students, sweeping the floors, practicing with her nunchucks), readers are exposed to some of the basic elements and vocabulary of Tae Kwon Do. When the students practice their kihaps--"a breath, a shout; power from the belly through the mouth!"--dragons from nearby mountains awaken and attack the dojang. The students defend themselves, but the fight is derailed by "the biggest enemy of all--their growling stomachs," and the combatants call a truce and share a snack. The text is soothingly rhythmic, with lots of alliteration and onomatopoeia. The color palette is warm and comforting, with the soft orange of the nearby persimmon trees and the sunset conveying calm. A brief summary of the principles of Tae Kwon Do is appended, but this is less an informational book than a whimsical slice of life that will appeal to many small warriors.

Reviewer: K Rachael Stein | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2022