Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #330292 in Books
• Published on: 2006-12-26
• Released on: 2006-12-26
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 32 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781599900179
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2—This could have been just another story about a child adjusting to a new baby in the family. Instead, its Korean-American perspective and mixed-media collage illustrations set the title apart. A big sister lists things that babies don't know and cannot do, beginning with the foods they cannot eat. A note on the CIP page defines kimchee and its ingredients. Although the characters are of Korean heritage, the ideas are universal. What the older girl can do now, she will teach her sibling later—to dance, dress up, draw animals, eat ice cream, swing, whisper early in the morning before anyone else is awake. "And eat kimchee, if we want to." The older child even shows patience when she tries to teach the baby to sing before she is ready, resulting in a full-spread picture of the baby crying, her mouth wide and surrounded by angry lines in fiery colors. All of the pages feature realistic chalk and oil-pastel drawings on a background of textured-paper collage. The illustrations use just the right colors and lines to capture the children's changing emotions. Short enough to read aloud and detailed enough to engage the eye over multiple independent or one-on-one readings, this book is a welcome addition to an overpopulated field.—Julie Ranelli, Kent Island Branch Library, Stevensville, MD
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
An older Korean American sister lists many of the things her baby sister cannot eat, starting with kimchee. She also mentions a few of her favorite activities, such as dancing and drawing, that babies cannot do "because they're very little" and looks forward to the day when she can share these pleasures with her sister. From irritation with a younger sibling to wistful daydreaming, the spare narrative is true to a child's perspective. Illustrations rendered in collage, ink drawings, and oil pastels portray an energetic older preschool sister whose emotions range from disgust to tenderness. An upbeat "new baby" title, this Korean American family story is also good for storytimes and multicultural units. Linda Perkins
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

Customer Reviews

Great book
I found this book in our local library and we ended up loving it. Being a Korean-American, I just had to check it out based on the title. This is a great book on many levels. First, it is beautifully illustrated. Second, it really speaks to the dilemma of an older sibling with a new baby sibling. My 4 year old loves her 9-month sister but feels tormented by her at the same time. You can tell from her face as I read her this book that she felt identified with the main character. Third, the book takes a multi-cultural bend without trying too hard. What a delight.

Cute, cute story
Babies can't do much. They can't eat kimchee, they can't dance ballet, they don't play dress-up, and they don't know anything. All babies are good for is making a ruckus. But babies often grow into little sisters and then whole new worlds of teaching and friendship open.

Babies Can't Eat Kimchee! is a delight to the senses. The unique illustrations are bright and expressive with a textured look and they perfectly complement the text. The text is true-to-life and reads aloud well with plenty of room for dramatic inflection.

I especially enjoyed the multi-cultural bent of this story. Though this book is written from a Korean perspective, I feel it is important for all children, especially those who live in multi-cultural families, to see other cultures represented in their picture books. Babies Can't Eat Kimchee! is a fabulous addition to a multi-cultural library. My only question is this: can we get a boy version?

Armchair Interviews says: Nice to see multicultural books.

My daughter loves this book!
We picked up this book from the library and my 3 year old loves it so much that we ended up extending it 3 times. Now I am just buying our own copy! The art is really pretty and the story line helps her read out some words by herself.