Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature)
Cooper feels caught between two cultures. One grandmother comments on how white his skin is; the other on how brown. When his mother asks him to stop at Mr. Lee’s store, he is reluctant, because Mr. Lee has scolded him for not speaking Korean. In the store Cooper decides to buy his mother a new hairbrush. But he does not have enough money. He also feels alienated, not knowing enough Korean to understand Mr. Lee’s comments. Frustrated, he takes the brush and starts to leave. Mr. Lee catches him and puts him to work, telling him to return again the next day. He is ashamed to tell his mother. But as he works with Mr. Lee in the store, Cooper begins to understand the storekeeper and admits his mistakes. Mr. Lee in turn tells Cooper about his difficulties when he arrived in America. Together they discuss the problems of being both Korean and American. Although didactic, the text covers important areas of cross-cultural interest. Cogan’s illustrations suggest backgrounds rather than provide details. Paints are applied in broad strokes; color is used to evoke emotions: blues and greens for the theft and restitution, red for the final happy resolution. The two main characters, however, are defined so that Cooper’s feelings are clearly projected, as are Mr. Lee’s. The text is completely bi-lingual in Korean and English. The author’s note explains her personal relationship with the story. 2004, Children’s Book Press, $16.95. Ages 6 to 9.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Fall 2004)
Cooper feels torn—he's not entirely Korean or entirely white. After he gets caught stealing from Mr. Lee's Korean market, he learns that Lee, too, finds it hard to fit in. The text, in English and Korean, contains clichés and strains for a child's sensibility. Cogan's oil paintings feature characters with overdramatic facial expressions, but the story's originality is refreshing. Category: Picture Books. 2004, Children's, 32pp, $16.95. Ages 4 to 9. Rating: 5: Marginal, seriously flawed, but with some redeeming quality.

Janie Barron (The Lorgnette - Heart of Texas Reviews (Vol. 17, No. 1))
The young boy in this story comes to understand that the way a person speaks or looks is not all he needs to see. This is a tender story about a young boy who learns to accept his biracial identity. Cooper is one-half Korean and one-half white. He has a hard time accepting many things, including the Korean language. He is sent to Mr. Lee’s grocery for ginger. While at the store, he observes everyone’s attempts to speak to him in Korean. He is determined to replace a hairbrush that he has ruined, but he does not have enough money. So, he just steals it--only to be caught! Mr. Lee (a Korean) teaches Cooper a lesson--both about stealing and accepting who he is. This is a good book that will also teach students a valuable lesson. Fiction. Grades 3-5. 2004, Children's Book Press, 30p., $16.95. Ages 8 to 11.