A Piece of Home

By Jeri Watts, Hyewon Yum (Illustrator)

A boy finds connection in a new land through a familiar flower.

4.8/7 Bookroo expert·3.9/5 Goodreads · 582 ratings

32 pages· 719 words· Est. 6 min read-aloud

$16.99Save 7%

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Bookroo's summary

Hee Jun's world shifts when his family moves from Korea to West Virginia. Struggling with language and feeling out of place, he finds solace in a familiar flower, the Rose of Sharon. As he learns English and makes friends, Hee Jun discovers that home can be wherever you plant your roots. Will this piece of home help him embrace his new life?

From the publisher

“When Hee Jun’s family moves from Korea to West Virginia, he struggles to adjust to his new home. His eyes are not big and round like his classmates, and he can’t understand anything the teacher says, even when she speaks s-l-o-w-l-y and loudly at him. As he lies in bed at night, the sky seems smaller and darker. But little by little Hee Jun begins to learn English words and make friends on the playground. And one day he is invited to a classmate’s house, where he sees a flower he knows from his garden in Korea, “mugunghwa,” or Rose of Sharon, as his friend tells him and Hee Jun is happy to bring a shoot to his grandmother to plant a “piece of home” in their new garden.”–Provided by publisher.

Awards

Ezra Jack Keats Award (2017)

At a glance

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 32
Words: 719
Reading age: 5–8
Audience: Picture
Lexile: AD650L

Themes & topics

Books about teachers Books about home Books about trying new things Books about moving Books about America

What readers & critics say

Reviews

4.8

out of 7

4.8

“I thought this book about a family that moves to a new country would be great for kids who go through the same experience, or who may have friends who have gone through something similar. It opens your eyes to what it might be like to have such an experience, as it's told through the eyes of a child. I thought the story was nice, though I think it's particularly good for those moving themselves or going through a similar transition.”

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