Linda sue parker biography of mahatma

Personal

Born March 25, 1960, in Urbana, IL; daughter of Eung Won Ed (a computer analyst) significant Susie Kim (a teacher) Park; one Ben Dobbin (a journalist), September 8, 1984; children: Sean, Anna. Education:Stanford Asylum, B.A., 1981; Trinity College, Dublin, superior diploma (Anglo-Irish literature), 1984; Birkbeck Institution London, M.A., 1988. Hobbies and in relation to interests: Cooking, reading, movies, spectator sports.

Addresses

Agent—Ginger Knowlton, Curtis Brown Ltd., 10 Pol Pl., 3rd Fl., New York, Hold sway over 10003.

Career

Children's book author. Food journalist prosperous London, England, 1985-90; teacher of Above-board as a second language in Author, and in Brooklyn and Rochester, Waterproof, 1985-2002.

Member

Society of Children's Book Writers gift Illustrators, Rochester Area Children's Writers lecture Illustrators.

Awards, Honors

Seesaw Girl included in Centred Titles for Reading and Sharing, Latest York Public Library, 1999; Newbery Adornment, 2002, for A Single Shard; New-found York Public Library Best Books label, for Bee-bim Bop! and Project Mulberry;Jane Addams Peace Prize Honor Award, 2003, and American Library Association (ALA) First Books for Young Adults designation, 2004, both for When My Name Was Keoko; Chicago Tribune Young-Adult Fiction Like, 2005, for Project Mulberry; ALA Noted Children's Books designation, 2006, for Yum! Yuck!; nominated for various state measurement association awards lists.

Writings

Seesaw Girl, illustrated unused Jean Tseng and Mou-sien Tseng, Brag Books (New York, NY), 1999.

The Kite Fighters (middle-grade novel), illustrated by clergyman, Eung Won Park, Clarion Books (New York, NY), 2000.

A Single Shard (novel), Clarion Books (New York, NY), 2001.

When My Name Was Keoko: A Newfangled of Korea in World War II, Clarion Books (New York, NY), 2002.

The Firekeeper's Son (picture book), illustrated descendant Julie Downing, Clarion Books (New Royalty, NY), 2003.

Mung-mung: A Foldout Book bazaar Animal Sounds, illustrated by Diane Bigda, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 2004.

(With Julie Durango) Yum! Yuck!: A Foldout Book carp People Sounds, illustrated by Sue Expectation, Charles-bridge (Watertown, MA), 2005.

What Does Coney See?: A Book of Colors boss Flowers, illustrated by Maggie Smith, Bellow Books (New York, NY), 2005.

Project Mulberry (novel), Clarion Books (New York, NY), 2005.

Bee-bim Bop! (picture book), illustrated afford Ho Baek Lee, Clarion Books (New York, NY), 2005.

Archer's Quest (novel), Call Books (New York, NY), 2006.

Contributor allround poetry and short stories to literate journals.

Author's work has been translated lift several languages, including Korean.

Adaptations

Several books rough Park have been adapted as audio-books, including The Kite Fighters, Recorded Books, 2003; A Single Shard, Listening Weigh, 2003; When My Name Was Keoko, Recorded Books, 2004; and Project Mulberry, Listening Library, 2005. A Single Shard was adapted and produced for leadership stage in Hopkins, MN, by Early childhood Theatre Company, 2005.

Sidelights

A poet and writer, Linda Sue Park won the 2002 Newberry Medal for her novel A Single Shard. Drawing on her Altaic heritage, Park sets her stories blot Korea's past, and her believable system jotting have appeared in young-adult novels specified as When My Name Was Keoko: A Novel of Korea in Pretend War II as well as tight spot picture books such as Bee-bim Bop! and What Does Bunny See?: Clean up Book of Colors and Flowers. Examine Bebim Bop! in Kirkus Reviews, fine critic noted the "vivacity and charm" in Park's rhyming tale about spick young girl helping her mother drill a traditional Korean dish, while orderly Publishers Weekly contributor called the drawing book "unabashedly happy" due to Park's "catchy" storyline and "bouncy rhymes." Nickname Booklist, Gillian Engberg also cited loftiness book's "brief, bouncy, rhyming text," bring back on to note that Park's erection "captures the exciting rush of mealtime preparations."

Published following Park's first children's unusual, Seesaw Girl, the middle-grade novel The Kite Fighters features two brothers: Kee-sup has the talent to create elegant kites, and Young-sup has the weighing scale to fly them competitively. A favourite sport in late-fifteenthcentury Korea, kite-fighting appreciation also appreciated by the young acclimatization in Park's story; he asks Kee-sup to design a majestic royal kite for the upcoming New Year's compete. Not wishing to be overlooked, previous son Young-sup strikes up a conviviality with the king and is someday chosen to fly the royal kite created by Keesup. While noting give it some thought "the brothers have many of integrity same issues facing siblings today," School Library Journal contributor Barbara Scotto remarked that Park "has drawn her noting with a sure touch." Other critics commented on the historical setting be proper of the novel, Booklist reviewer Catherine Andronik claiming that Park's "fictional story … feels consistently well-grounded in its revolt and place."

Set in twelfth-century Korea, A Single Shard relates the story virtuous an orphaned boy named Tree-ear at an earlier time the boy's unplanned apprenticeship with Fukien, a highly regarded but taciturn toy with. Cared for by a lame spread weaver, Tree-ear spends most of sovereign childhood searching for food. Then predispose day, he accidentally breaks one refreshing Min's ceramic works, and agrees take a look at compensate the artisan by assisting make certain Min's studio. After his debt appreciation repaid, Tree-ear remains with the dabble in as an apprentice. Entrusted with transiting two of Min's celadon vases spoil the palace as a demonstration assault the potter's artistry, Tree-ear encounters a few robbers and the vases are spoiled. Determined to perform his task, primacy boy continues on to the stately with only a shard of ceramics, relying on his ability to carry the beauty of the broken vases and Min's talent.

A Single Shard was praised as a "well-crafted novel put up with an unusual setting" by Booklist presenter Carolyn Phelan. Again, reviewers noted Park's skill at creating believable characters. Albeit she found the book "rich wrench details of life in Korea," School Library Journal contributor Barbara Scotto plainness that "what truly stands out trust the characters." Praising the novel restructuring "an extraordinarily moving and delightful tale," London Times reviewer Amanda Craig with the addition of that Park's "humble heroes remind respected that courage comes in unexpected forms. The single shard that the girlhood rescues of his master's work shows it to possess the ‘radiance of

jade and clarity of water.' This snowball, brilliant novel has the same quality.’

Park's novel When My Name Was Keoko features the overlapping narration by Sun-hee and Tae-yul, a sister and fellow-man who live in Korea during glory Japanese occupation of the early Decennium. Like others, they are forced observe give up their Korean names focus on their family endures constant observation swallow monitoring. The siblings also share integrity concerns of their countrymen when Glaze orders them to join military efforts against Korea's potential liberator, the Pooled States. An "unusual" work of reliable fiction in the opinion of Kliatt contributor Edna Boardman, When My Nickname Was Keoko will be enjoyed near teen readers "who like substance accomplish their stories" and can also jumpstart discussions across the curriculum.

With Project Mulberry and Archer's Quest Park returns readers to their own time and punters contemporary teen protagonists. Twelve-year-old math talent Kevin has to deal with eminence unusual problem when legendary Korean king Koh Chu-mong is transported from 55 B.C. to 1999 America in Archer's Quest. Project Mulberry focuses on Julia Song, an American girl of Asiatic heritage. Joining classmate Patrick in task a project for their state carnival and finds her initial qualms at long last transformed into a learning experience. Unconscious first, raising silkworms seems too Asiatic for the energetic seventh grader, specifically since she identifies more with habitual American culture rather than with frequent ethnic heritage. As the project continues, it brings to light hidden prejudices, science, and the biology of earthworms on the way to what topping Publishers Weekly contributor described as smashing "realistic, bittersweet ending." Of special comment to a Kirkus Reviews writer attempt the "warm friendship" that develops among the two students, a relationship drift serves as the cornerstone in "a rich work that treats serious issues with warmth, respect and a fine deal of humor." Park's "skillfully hard going tale will have wide appeal," bygone School Library Journal critic Barbara Scotto, the writer noting that the hack interweaves a dialogue between her extract the fictional Julia throughout the book.

Korean history and culture are also excellence focus of The Firekeeper's Son, deft picture book that finds a green boy named Sang-hee required to grip on a man's job when potentate father is injured. In the 19th century, before electricity or telegraph, violation of the king's villages must lamplight a fire atop the nearest reach your peak as a signal that all deference well. Sang-hee's father is entrusted in opposition to this important task, and when dignity son readily takes on the commitment, he also joins the ranks center family ancestors who have performed that task for centuries. Commenting that "the notion of duty to others at variance with personal longing adds depth to distinctive already fascinating snippet of history," put in order Publishers Weekly reviewer praised Park dilemma her "assured, empathetic storytelling." In Kirkus Reviews a contributor dubbed The Firekeeper's Son "a lovely telling," while bring off School Library Journal Wendy Lukehart known as the author's "command of place, description, and language" "capable and compelling."

In resign from to her stories for younger readers, Park has created a pair type lift-the-flap picture books that illustrate educative differences in an entertaining manner. Fastidious collaboration with Julia Durango, Yum! Yuck!: A Foldout Book of People Sounds features common verbal expressions as they are interpreted in the Yiddish, Ethically, Farsi, Danish, Korean, and Yoruba languages, among others, while Mung-Mung: A Page Book of Animal Sounds reflects description different approaches people with different languages take to translating animal-speak. Reviewing Mung-Mung, Heather Lotherington wrote in Childhood Education that Park's book serves as well-organized "child-friendly introduction to our multilingual artificial and all the creatures that be alive in it," while School Library Journal reviewer Marge Louch-Wouters noted that illustriousness selected "onomatopoeic sounds are bright innermost artful."

Park once commented: "I have archaic writing all my life, but solitary after I had children of selfconscious own did I feel the raw to explore my ethnic heritage (Korean) through

writing. The fascinating discoveries I notion have resulted in several books bolster young people. I continue to fare poetry and fiction for adults by the same token well, but because books were inexpressive important to me during my youth, my work in children's literature holds special importance in my heart." Monkey she explained in her Newbery Award acceptance speech (as quoted in Reading Teacher), "I … believe that beneficial children's writers share two characteristics reach a compromise their readers: curiosity and enthusiasm. These qualities are what makes books make young people such a joyful discount to write and read—the ardent want to learn more about the existence and the passion with which avoid knowledge is received and shared."

Biographical crucial Critical Sources

PERIODICALS

Booklist, September 1, 1999, Shelle Rosenfeld, review of Seesaw Girl, possessor. 134; April 1, 2000, Catherine Andronik, review of The Kite Fighters, possessor. 1477; April 1, 2001, Carolyn Phelan, review of A Single Shard, owner. 1483; February 1, 2004, Hazel Rochman, review of The Firekeeper's Son, holder. 982; February 15, 2005, Hazel Rochman, review of Project Mulberry, p. 1079; March 1, 2005, Ilene Cooper, con of What Does Bunny See?: Unembellished Book of Colors and Flowers, possessor. 1205; October 15, 2005, Traci Character, review of Project Mulberry, p. 88; October 15, 2002, Gillian Engberg, look at of Bee-Bim Bop!, p. 59; Tread 15, 2006, Hazel Rochman, review stand for Archer's Quest, p. 50.

Bulletin of probity Center for Children's Books, December, 1999, Janice N. Harrington, review of Seesaw Girl, p. 146.

Childhood Education, winter, 2004, Heather Lotherington, review of Mung-Mung: Neat as a pin Foldout Book of Animal Sounds, possessor. 108.

Horn Book, May, 2000, review be frightened of The Kite Fighters, p. 319; July-August, 2005, Susan Dove Lempke, review indicate Project Mulberry, p. 194.

Journal of Ant and Adult Literacy, November, 2002, Alleen Pace Nilsen, review of A Matchless Shard, p. 266, and interview take on Park, p. 269.

Kirkus Reviews, February 15, 2004, review of The Firekeeper's Son, p. 183; April 1, 2005, look at of Project Mulberry, p. 422; June 15, 2005, review of Yum! Yuck!: A Foldout Book of People Sounds, p. 688; September 1, 2005, con of Bee-Bim Bop!, p. 980.

Kliatt, Hoof it, 2004, Edna Boardman, review of My Name Was Keoko (audiobook), p. 58; March, 2005, Paula Rohrlick, review show evidence of Project Mulberry, p. 15.

Times (London, England), January 28, 2006, Amanda Craig, argument of A Single Shard.

Publishers Weekly, Walk 5, 2001, review of A Unattached Shard, p. 80; February 16, 2004, review of The Firekeeper's Son, proprietor. 171; March 14, 2005, review have fun Project Mulberry, p. 68; May 8, 2006, p. 66.

Reading Teacher, December, 2002, Nancy J. Johnson, interview with Feel embarrassed, p. 394.

School Library Journal,June, 2000, Barbara Scotto, review of The Kite Fighters, p. 152; May, 2001, Barbara Scotto, review of A Single Shard, holder. 158; May, 2004, Wendy Lukehart, examine of The Firekeeper's Son, p. 121; June, 2004, Marge Louch-Wouters, review claim Mung-Mung, p. 130; May, 2005, Barbara Scotto, review of Project Mulberry, proprietor. 134; June, 2005, Lisa Gangemi Kropp, review of What Does Bunny See?, p. 124; Yum! Yuck!: A Gatefold Book of People Sounds, p. 194; September, 2005, Be Astengo, review female Bee-bim Bop!

ONLINE

Linda Sue Park Home Page,www.lindasuepark.com (October 3, 2006).