Publishers Weekly
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

In an uplifting authorial picture book debut, Di Roma Howley introduces a spirited protagonist whose innovative idea helps forestall the closing of the school in her seaside South Korean village. One of just three students, Sarang enjoys the positives of few classmates, including “time for questions both big and small” and short lunch lines. But when it seems that the school must close due to declining enrollment, she tells her worries to her grandmother, Halmeoni, who recalls longing to attend classes as a child but having to work and care for family, instead—a recollection that sparks Sarang to thoughtful, and mutually beneficial, action that keeps the school going. Oh’s carefully lit digital illustrations emphasize Sarang’s sunny optimism, and fond intergenerational interactions depict shared learning and wisdom at every age. An author’s note concludes. Ages 3–7. (July)

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

So many families have left Sarang’s coastal village in Korea that low enrollment may force the local school to close. Sarang loves her seaside classroom, where the teacher has plenty of time for her three students. Meanwhile, Sarang’s grandmother shares her memories of working in vegetable gardens as a child. Because only boys attended school in those days, she never learned to read or write. Sarang has a bright idea, which she shares with her parents and friends: if the village grandmothers enroll and attend classes, there will be enough students to justify keeping the school open. Encouraged by the principal, the grandmothers become students, saving the school and keeping their families near. Based on a newspaper article about grandmothers enrolling in a Korean elementary school, the story will strike a chord with many primary-grade children. Appealing digital pictures illustrate the well-paced narrative, which is strengthened by Sarang’s determination to save her school and her empathy for her grandmother, who regrets that she cannot write her own letters to relatives. A moving picture book.

Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

A young girl finds a creative way to save her school—and ensure everyone’s right to an education. Sarang lives in a small South Korean fishing village. Like most families, her parents are considering a move to the city because there aren’t enough students to keep the school open. Sarang tears up at the idea of leaving her beloved Halmeoni (Grandmother). But wait! Could Halmeoni be the extra student needed to keep the school open? Halmeoni grew up when girls’ education wasn’t prioritized, and she never learned to read or write—something she regrets to this day. Sarang hatches a plan and shares it with others—except the village grandmothers. When the big day arrives, Sarang’s teacher welcomes Halmeoni and the other grandmothers to the class. Though Oh’s digital illustrations make effective use of light and shadow, neither the somewhat bland visuals nor the rather subdued prose are quite as emotionally resonant as the subject matter. The author’s note contains more details about the ongoing battle to keep rural schools open as families relocate to cities and about many grandmothers’ courageous reclamation of their right to an education; this simple tale is just the tip of the iceberg. Still, the narrative is marked by a few heartwarming moments; Sarang and Halmeoni’s intergenerational bond and their intertwined educational journey will spur many readers to learn more about this social movement. A sweet ode to educational access, inspired by true events.(Picture book. 5-8) Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.