The Name Jar

Author: Yangsook Choi

Clutching a small wooden block with the characters of her Korean name carved into it, Unhei worries about being accepted and fitting in at her new school and new country. When she finds that the children have difficulty pronouncing her name, she decides to pick a new American name. Sensing her difficulty in choosing a name, Unhei's classmates create a name jar with suggestions for her. Finally, with the help of a new friend, she not only chooses a name that reflects her heritage and culture but also inspires her classmates to better understand cultural differences and similarities.Yangsook Choi's charming story and illustrations explore issues of assimilation and cultural duality faced by immigrant children and their American classmates. It could well serve as the basis for classroom discussions of these issues and would be a welcome addition to class libraries.

The Name Jar

Year Released: 2001

Grades K-3