I’ve been waiting a long time to review this book for Perfect Picture Book Friday!
How long, you ask? Well, I will tell you. I’ve been waiting ever since I read one of the first drafts from my critique buddy, Tina Cho. Because honestly, even from the first drafts, I knew this was going to be a real live book one day!
RICE FROM HEAVEN
Written by Tina Cho
Illustrated by Keum Jin Song
Published by Little Bee Books
Ages: 4-8
Themes: Compassion, courage, South and North Korea
Synopsis: From Amazon:
“Rice from Heaven is a true story about compassion and bravery as a young girl and her community in South Korea help deliver rice via balloons to the starving and oppressed people in North Korea.
“We reach a place where mountains become a wall. A wall so high, no one dares to climb. Beyond that wall and across the sea live children just like me, except they do not have food to eat.“
Rice from Heaven is a true story about compassion and bravery as a young girl and her community in South Korea help deliver rice via balloons to the starving and oppressed people in North Korea.
“We reach a place where mountains become a wall. A wall so high, no one dares to climb. Beyond that wall and across the sea live children just like me, except they do not have food to eat.“
Yoori lives in South Korea and doesn’t know what North Korea is like, but her father (Appa) does. Appa grew up in North Korea, where he did not have enough food to eat. Starving, he fled to South Korea in search of a better life. Yoori doesn’t know how she can help as she’s only a little “grain of rice” herself, but Appa tells her that they can secretly help the starving people by sending special balloons that carry rice over the border.
Villagers glare and grumble, and children protest feeding the enemy, but Yoori doesn’t back down. She has to help. People right over the border don’t have food. No rice, and no green fields.
With renewed spirit, volunteers gather in groups, fill the balloons with air, and tie the Styrofoam containers filled with rice to the tails of the balloons. With a little push, the balloons soar up and over the border, carrying rice in the darkness of the night over to North Korea.”
Why I like this book:
- I love books that are based on true events…bringing history alive for young readers is so very important.
- The text is lyrical and helps us connect to the main character.
- The illustrations engage the reader/listener from the first page to the last.
- This book is a perfect launchpad for any school or home discussion about helping others, compassion, and the world situation.
RELATED ACTIVITIES
All Kinds of Rice Crafts
Photo courtesy: https://funfamilycrafts.com/rice-activities-crafts-for-kids
75 crafts using rice! For more detailed instructions, please go here:
https://funfamilycrafts.com/rice-activities-crafts-for-kids
Thank you for stopping by – I hope you will be back tomorrow for our chat with author Tina Cho…she is sharing some of her writing journey, a couple of author tips (like revision is a key ingredient to author success), and a treat recipe that includes…you guessed it…something rice-like.
And if you want to read the second installment of the peek inside my life, head on over to the blog of Sarah Hetu-Radney, Writer. She’s offering a giveaway of one of her own pb critiques!
Please have a safe and happy weekend!
Very exciting! Gotta get this one for my kids!!!
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Thank you, Sarah! Hope they enjoy it.
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Thanks so much, Vivian, for this awesome review! Like I’ve said before, it wouldn’t have made it without your help!
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I hadn’t realized you & Tina are critique partners, Vivian. How wonderful that you’ve been able to see this story grow & reach publication. Happy book birthday, Tina!
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Thanks Patricia! Yes, I don’t know what I’d do without Vivian!
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What a lovely review with interesting activities. Such an important book. Will have to pace my review with all of the others that will be written!
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Thanks, Pat! Looking forward to your review. No hurry.
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So lovely! Did not realize you were critique buddies and Epic18ers also! Congrats Tina.
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Thanks, Cathy! Yes, so much in common. And we are/were both kindergarten teachers!
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Congrats, Tina! This looks like a lovely book that promotes compassion and reveals a character with a determination to help others. Can’t wait to read it!
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Thanks, Judy. I hope it sparks compassion and kindness in the children who read it.
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After reading your glowing review of this book, I hopped over to my library page to put it on hold, but alas… the library has just ordered this book, and I have to wait, wait, wait.
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Awesome, Leslie! Thanks for sharing.
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I adore books that bring new information to light from true events. And this one brings so much light! Congratulations Tina! Great review Vivian!
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Thank you, Keila. Yes, I like those kinds of books, too.
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Thank you for sharing, Vivian, and congrats, Tina!! Can’t wait to read it. My husband’s from Berlin, so this reminds me a bit of the Berlin airlift during WWII 🙂
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Yes, Maria, sort of similar situations!
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Wow! What a heart a heart warming story. I will buy this one!
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Thank you so much!
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Great Review Vivian I just can’t wait for my copy to arrive anyday now. 🙂
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I hope it reaches your corner of the world soon, Diane!
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Congratulations, Tina! While we’re on the topics of helping others and rice I wanted to let people know that if you go to freerice.com, you can answer English vocab questions to get rice donated through the World Food Programme. It would be a fun way for classroom teachers to involve their students!
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I love that idea at freerice.com and saw its through the UN. Thank you so much for sharing, Natalee! I’ll definitely promote it.
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Can’t wait to read this book! Congratulations all the way around!
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I love that this story is based on true events. I truly can’t wait to read this book. Congratulations Tina Cho!
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