Celebrating Lunar New Year 2022!
What’s New in the Year of the Tiger?
Ellen Oh’s newest novel:
Finding Junie Kim has been recognized:
- Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature Honor Book
- NPR’s 2021 Books We Love List
- 2021 Nerdie Award Winner
Paula Yoo sends this news:
From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement was recognized with a YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Honor 2022.
Paula Yoo’s new work of YA nonfiction will explore a seminal moment in Korean American history, Sa I Gu, the 1992 Los Angeles civil unrest movement. Rising from the Ashes: How the 1992 Los Angeles Uprising Bridged Two Communities will focus on the destruction and rebirth of L.A.’s historic Koreatown, taking an in-depth look at the relationship between the Korean American and Black communities during these events and since. Publication is slated for fall 2023 from Norton Young Readers (W.W. Norton & Co.). Learn more.
Photo at left, credit Hyungwon Kang: December 2021: Paula Yoo visited Western Avenue in L.A.’s Koreatown, where many stores had burned to the ground in 1992. Almost 30 years later, trendy fashion boutiques, boba coffeehouses and Korean pop culture street art like “Squid Game” have risen from those ashes, as well as the birth of a new solidarity movement between the Korean American and Black communities.
Angela Ahn shares:
Coming August 30, 2022, a new MG novel, Double O Stephen and the Ghostly Realm (hope to have a cover to share with you soon).
Peter Lee’s Notes from the Field earned a nomination for the Governor General’s Literary Award in Young People’s Literature (a big Canadian award!). Look for the audio book in January 2022 and the paperback in April 2022.
Krista Kim-Bap will have an audio book in 2022.
A new poetry collection from Janet Wong:
2022 NCTE Poetry Notable
Wong’s original collection was the first book of Asian American children’s poems to explore issues of race, culture, and identity.
In these 50 new pages of memoir, musings, social studies connections, and writing prompts, Janet Wong offers a fresh look at these topics and invites young readers to dive more deeply into the text.
Kat Cho says:
Once Upon a K‑Prom releases May 17, 2022.
What would you do if the world’s biggest K‑pop star asked you to prom? Perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sandhya Menon, this hilarious and heartfelt novel brings the glamour and drama of the K‑pop world straight to high school.
Erin Yun’s Pippa Park has a companion:
A companion journal to Pippa Park Raises Her Game full of quizzes, listicles, and writing prompts, that help tweens create a time capsule of their lives.
Sarah Jung invites you to read:
… this picture book written by Francie Dekker and illustrated by Sarah Jung, Our World of Dumplings celebrates how food brings people and cultures together! On sale on September 6th, 2022!
ll Sung Na shares:
Big Bear Little Fish will be out on September 6, 2022. Story by Sandra Nickel and illustrated by me.
Also, I am one of 78 winners Bologna Children’s Book Fair Illustrators Exhibition this year.
We welcome Grace Shim with her news:
The Noh Family will be released on May 22, 2022. It’s a contemporary young adult novel, about which Kirkus Reviews wrote, “An enjoyable, pacy family drama.”
The news from Anna Kang?
This is (Not) Enough will be published on March 1, 2022, the sixth book in the You Are (Not) Small series.
Jane Park has news!
Chelsea Clinton will be reading Juna’s Jar for Read Across America Day on March 2. Enjoy the reading!
Two new books this year:
Hidden Animal Colors, written and illustrated by Jane Park, will be available March 1, 2022 from Millbrook Press
Juna and Appa, illustrated by Felicia Hoshino, published by Lee & Low Books, May 1, 2022
From Hyewon Yum:
I have three books coming out this year:
Lion Needs a Shot, which I wrote and illustrated, will be released on May 17, 2022 (Abrams).
Look for Luli and the Language of Tea, written by Andrea Wang. It is scheduled for publication on May 17, 2022 (Neal Porter Books).
Sometimes I Grumblesquinch, written by Rachel Vail, is due out July 19, 2022 (Orchard Books).
Chris Soentpiet invites you:
Attached is a photo of me holding my book The Last Dragon celebrating Lunar New Year. I’ll be uploading a Lunar New Year video to tie in with this holiday on February 1, 2022. You can watch it on YouTube.
Hanna Cha is busy:
Circle Round, written by Anne Sibley O’Brien, was published by Charlesbridge in October, 2021.
I’m currently working on the illustrations for a book by Julie Leung called The Truth About Dragons, which will be available in late 2023.
What are we looking forward to from Aram Kim?
The paperback edition of Let’s Go to Taekwondo! comes out on April 5, 2022.
From Jiyeon Pak:
My new picture book just came out in Korea. It’s called Mamaloobie. It’s a story about an extraterrestrial life who takes care of stars.
Sarah Suk shares:
Made in Korea paperback releases May 24, 2022.
“Details about contemporary Korean American life and culture ring true… An engaging, fast-paced romance between two teens longing for acceptance.” (Kirkus Reviews)
Good news from Linda Sue Park:
Honors for The One Thing You’d Save:
- ALA Notable
- Kirkus Best Books
- Horn Book Fanfare
- NPR Books We Love
- Texas Bluebonnet master list 2022–2023
- Nerdy Award for Poetry & Verse
- Illustrations by Robert Sae-Heng chosen for the Society of Illustrators Original Art Show Exhibit
From Soma Han:
Many thanks to Natalie Paulie, proprietor of the children’s website Cardboard Mom, for her enthusiastic double review of my last two books, Maya and the Turtle: A Korean Fairy Tale (Tuttle) and Land of Morning Calm: Korean Culture Then and Now (Shen’s). Visit Cardboard Mom.
The image? One of Soma’s famous tigers, Avatara.
June Jo Lee and Readers to Eaters bring us:
In May, look for Sandor Katz and the Tiny Wild, a picture book biography about Sandor Ellix Katz, the “fermentation revivalist,” on his journey of transformation and how fermentation connects all, ALL of us on planet Earth. June Jo Lee and Jacqueline Briggs Martin are the co-authors and Julie Wilson is the illustrator. Book 4 in our Food Heroes series.
Suzanne Park’s newest:
- An NPR Best Book of the Year
- A PopSugar Best Book of June!
- Nominated to the 2022 YALSA Quick Picks for Young Adult Reluctant Readers list
Korean American social media influencer Sunny is shipped off to a digital detox camp in this hilarious, charming romantic comedy. Perfect for fans of laugh-out-loud coming-of-age stories.
“An absolute joy to read. I completely demolished it one sitting.”—NPR.org
Ann Yu-Kyung Choi shares:
My new children’s book features a lovely tiger illustrated by Korean-Canadian artist Soyeon Kim. Once Upon an Hour was published by Orca Books in 2020. Enjoy this bedtime tale about the 12 animals of the Korean zodiac.
An author-illustrator, Dan-ah Kim is new to kiBooka:
Praise for The Grandmaster’s Daughter:
“Young Sunny, already an accomplished black belt, practices taekwondo at a school of martial arts. … She leads a taekwondo class filled with students diverse in race and abilities. … Kim’s bright palette and energetic cartoon artwork … bring depth to each page. … A lighthearted tale of responsibility with plenty of fun.” (Kirkus Reviews)
A new book from Rebecca Kim Wells:
“Briar Girls is an anthem for queer female self-discovery in fantasy form. Lena harnesses her inner strength and intellectual prowess to escape victimhood and gain her agency.” (Shelf Awareness)
From Dana Wulfekotte:
A favorite stuffed animal can’t be too loved … or can it? Toy Story meets Knuffle Bunny in this picture book exploring the enduring bond between a child and her beloved stuffed penguin. A must-have for fans of Strictly No Elephants and Bear Is a Bear.
Graci Kim sends these updates:
forthcoming releases
The Last Fallen Star (Gifted Clans trilogy, book 1) paperback releases May 3, 2022
The Last Fallen Moon (Gifted Clans trilogy, book 2) hardcover releases June 7, 2022
awards, honors, other good news
The Last Fallen Star was a 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee for “Best Middle Grade & Children’s Book”
The Cursed Carnival and Other Calamities anthology debuted at #3 on the New York Times bestseller list
what I’m working on now
The Last Fallen Realm (the final book in the Gifted Clans trilogy) releases in 2023!
Julie Lee shares:
I have a companion novel to Brother’s Keeper coming out in 2022 by Holiday House.
The Taiwanese translation edition of Brother’s Keeper (pictured at left) is currently out, and Turkish and South Korean editions are on the way.
I will also be a participating author at the Young Readers Festival by the Hong Kong International Literary Festival in March 2022.
Three new books in 2022 from Jaime Kim:
First up, Ready for the Spotlight, which I wrote and illustrated, was published on January 25, 2022.
Mommy’s Hometown, written by Hope Lim, will be released on April 12, 2022.
You’ll find Night on the Sand, by Monica Mayper, on bookshelves August 16, 2022.
From Helena Ku Rhee:
Based loosely on the author’s childhood, Rosa’s Song (Random House Studio, June 7, 2022) is a story is about an intense friendship between two kids from completely different backgrounds. The story also features a charming parrot named Pollito.
Takami Nieda, translator, says:
Read “A Translator’s Note about Translating The Color of the Sky is the Shape of the Heart (Soho Press, April 22, 2022).”
This book, now in translation for the first time (Takami Nieda, translator), the award-winning debut by Chesil that broke literary ground in Japan explores diaspora, prejudice, and the complexities of a teen girl’s experience growing up as a Zainichi Korean, reminiscent of Min Jin Lee’s classic Pachinko and Sandra Cisneros’s The House on Mango Street.
A new book from Lyla Lee:
Flip the Script. In this simmering, joyous YA novel, author Lyla Lee delivers a tender romance set between two brave teens who decide that when the script isn’t working, it’s time to rewrite it themselves.
available May 31, 2022 (Katherine Tegen Books)
Junghwa Park has a new book out June 22, 2022:
I do have a new book, 12 Days of Kindness, coming out in June 2022. It is written by Irene Latham and will be published by Putnam.
And I am working on a new book, Big Girl Eats Tteokguk, as an author and illustrator. It will be published by Little, Brown in winter 2024. The story is based on the Korean Lunar New Year and Tteokguk tradition.
From Joowon Oh:
Look for the paperback edition of Our Favorite Day, available from Candlewick Press in August 2022.
David Yoon writes:
I have a book called City of Orange coming out May 24, 2022.
From the publisher: This imaginative and affecting new novel is beloved, bestselling, and award-winning author David Yoon at his finest: thought-provoking and heart-piercing, by turns funny and challenging, and at all times deeply human.
A man who cannot remember his own name wakes up in an apocalyptic landscape, injured and alone. He has vague memories of life before, but he can’t see it clearly and can’t grasp how his current situation came to be. He must learn to survive by finding sources of water and foraging for food. Then he encounters a boy—and he realizes nothing is what he thought it was, neither the past nor the present.