What Will You Be, Sara Mee?

This book is a rendition of the ancient Korean tradition of the tol. It takes place on the first birthday of a child, where a set of objects representing various occupations are placed in front of the child. The first item grabbed by the child symbolizes what they will do in life. There is also a feast and gifts for the child. In ancient Korea the first birthday was a significant milestone, for many babies did not survive their first year. The story is written at roughly the level of the second grader and the illustrations are crisp with a great deal of detail. The coloration is strong without being gaudy, sure to catch the eye of the child that is being read to. There is also a strong multicultural message that is easy to understand. If I had known about this book when my daughter was young, I would have read it to her.