People throughout youth literature have been happy to support this project. I’ve had only a few requirements. The readers identify first as anti-racist and then, as non Asian. They could select any Asian or Pacific Islander American authored text from which to share. Today, librarian Elisa Gall dives into one of her favorite books, Where’s Halmoni  written and illustrated by Julie Kim (Little Bigfoot, 2017).

Julie Kim lives in Seattle with her husband  and two children. A graduate of Rhode Island School of Design, her illustrations have been featured in several children’s books including My Special Space, The Mysterious Spinners, and Gloria’s First Day. Her hobbies include jewelry making, clothes making, children’s halloween costume making, doll making  and creative crafting. And, she draws! Samples of Julie’s beautiful work can be found on her blog. In an interview on Let’s Talk Picture Books, Kim describes how traditional Korean art informed her work in Where’s Halmoni.

Where’s Halmoni? was her debut picture book.

“Julie Kim has created a visually stunning world that effortlessly infuses Korean text (Hangul) in rich, expressive art.”—Cybils Awards, winner 

“For its jaw-dropping art, encouraging bilingual attitude, and conscientious portrayal of Korean culture, Where’s Halmoni? is a perfect choice.” —School Library Journal, starred

“A sophisticated mélange of urban households, traditional Asian landscapes, vibrant color schemes, cultural details, subtle visual jokes, [and] pitch-perfect dialogue… This book is an excellent choice for either the picture-book or graphic-novel collection.” —Booklist, starred

“Kim’s bright, expressive illustrations are a delight…an accessible, diverse title for a broad readership.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred

“The sibling banter is believable and delightful, [and] Kim’s panel sequences teem with energy.” —Publishers Weekly, starred

Elisa Gall shares Where’s Halmoni by introducing us to both the artistic features of the picture book that it is told in comic book form. Elisa is the Youth Collection Development Librarian at the Deerfield Public Library and she is a member of the blogging team at Reading While White. She lives in Evanston, IL.