num_pages: 199
description: Sun-hee and her older brother Tae-yul are proud of their Korean heritage. Yet they live their lives under Japanese occupation. All students must read and write in Japanese and no one can fly the Korean flag. Hardest of all is when the Japanese Emperor forces all Koreans to take Japanese names. Sun-hee and Tae-yul become Keoko and Nobuo. Korea is torn apart by their Japanese invaders during World War II. Everyone must help with war preparations, but it doesn’t mean they are willing to defend Japan. Tae-yul is about to risk his life to help his family, while Sun-hee stays home guarding life-and-death secrets.
language: English
title: When My Name Was Keoko
titlecomplete: When My Name Was Keoko
genres: Fiction, Japan, World War II, Young Adult, Historical, Childrens, War, Asia, Historical Fiction, Middle Grade
ratings_count: 6766
places: Korea
awards: awardedAt: 1041408000000
name: Jane Addams Children's Book Award
category: Older Children, awardedAt: 1072944000000
name: Vermont Golden Dome Book Award, awardedAt: 1641024000000
name: Phoenix Award (Children's Literature Association)
publisher: Yearling