Cooper's Lesson
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, OHCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.