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When My Name Was Keoko

4.04 of 5 stars 4.04 · rating details · 1,738 ratings · 284 reviews

Sun-hee and her older brother Tae-yul are proud of their Korean heritage. Yet they live their lives under Japanese occupation. All students must read and write in Japanese and no one can fly the Korean flag. Hardest of all is when the Japanese Emperor forces all Koreans to take Japanese names. Sun-hee and Tae-yul become Keoko and Nobuo. Korea is torn apart by their Japanes...more

Paperback, 208 pages

Published January 13th 2004 by Yearling (first published March 18th 2002)

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Please Look After Mom by Kyung-Sook Shin

When My Name Was Keoko by Linda Sue Park

The Calligrapher's Daughter by Eugenia Kim

I Have the Right to Destroy Myself by Young-ha Kim

Fiction by Korean Authors and/or Containing Korean Characters

2nd out of 125 books — 72 voters

Eastern Asian Themed Books

2nd out of 18 books — 10 voters

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Feb 09, 2009 Nichole rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bookclub2, young-adult, memoirs

This book falls into a category of books to which I have referred several times in the past: enjoyed post-book club.

When I read it through, my initial reaction what that it was nice; it was a nice story about a girl, her brother, and how her family coped with the war. It was only after I attended the book club discussion that the intricacies of the story came to life. The discussion helped me to understand in my heart what I already understood in my head (thanks ladies).

This story focuses on “t...more

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Jun 19, 2007 Patrice rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a really gripping read about the Japanese occupation of Korea told from the point of view of a girl named Sun Hee beginning in 1940. Excellent historical fiction by Linda Sue Park, and I'd argue more accessible (at least for adults) because it's such recent history. Kitefighters is also excellent about 14th century Korea, and I'm working on A Single Shard, another way back historical fiction book. Linda Sue Park has this great way of incorporating information that the average American mi...more

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Apr 23, 2013 Ginta Harrigan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

My Name is Keoko is a story told from the perspective of two Korean children, a brother and sister. The setting is 1940s Korea.

The story is culturally authentic because it is told by Linda Sue Park who is Korean and based on historical fact along with stories told to her by her parents. During World War II the Japanese invaded Korea and systematically and brutally eroded (or came close to eroding) the Korean way of life and their identity. Throughout the book there are references to Korean cultu...more

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Apr 14, 2013 Andrew S rated it 3 of 5 stars

"When My Name Was Keoko" by Linda Sue Park is a historical fiction book. This book sets place in 1940's Korea, when the Japanese invaded Korea and started a war in WWII. Keoko, who was originally Sun-hee, was forced to use the Japanese name Keoko, and was prohibited to talk in Korean, fly the Korean flag, etc. These restrictions made by the Japanese made the Koreans very angry. Koreans fighted for their freedom, and Sun-hee's older brother, Tae-yul (Nobuo)also helped to fight for the Koreans' fr...more

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Feb 21, 2013 Cynthia Oh rated it 5 of 5 stars

When My Name Was Keoko takes place in the period of WW2 and the Japanese Invasion in Korea. It's about two siblings named Sun-hee and Tae-yul and how they change through the the period of the war. The siblings are both Korean and the book's very unique because for each chapter, it goes back and forth from Sun-hee or Tae-yul's perspective. I think that it was a very unique technique that the author used and this kept me on edge because I would read one side of the story and wouldn't stop reading...more When My Name Was Keoko takes place in the period of WW2 and the Japanese Invasion in Korea. It's about two siblings named Sun-hee and Tae-yul and how they change through the the period of the war. The siblings are both Korean and the book's very unique because for each chapter, it goes back and forth from Sun-hee or Tae-yul's perspective. I think that it was a very unique technique that the author used and this kept me on edge because I would read one side of the story and wouldn't stop reading to find out the other side of the story. How Linda Sue Park uses this technique really made it easier for me to get engaged with the characters too because I could learn about what others thought of that character instead of a one-sided view. The story starts as Sun-hee being the curious, naive younger sibling and Tae-yul being the responsible and a bit impulsive older brother. As the story progresses and Sun-hee finds out more about the Japanese Invasion in Korea, the resistance act her uncle is in, and how she has no freedom, she matures into a understanding and caring girl. Also, Tae-yul, her older brother, becomes more courageous and independent through the events of the book. I really enjoyed the book because of the characters. As a Korean myself, I could relate to the characters easily and also thanks to the authors technique of using two different perspectives in one book. Another reason of why I was so intrigued in this book was because I love historical fiction and this is definitely a great book for any historical fiction loving person. The author does a nice job of putting in enough historical background for the readers to enjoy the book and also lets the reader learn about the Korean history. One aspect that I also enjoyed in the book was how it talked about the Kamikaze and how Tae-yul volunteered to join the Kamikaze to show his courage and patriotism to Korea. It was a unique topic that the author handled and to me, it was like a nice surprise. Overall, I think that When My Name Was Keoko is a very heart-warming book of courage, independence, and love towards family. It teaches the readers the tragedy of the Koreans during the Japanese Invasion but also the hope that the Koreans had and perseverance.(less)

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Feb 18, 2013 Barb Middleton rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical

Writing reviews is like skipping a flat stone across a lake. At least for me. Sometimes the rock whirls like a Frisbee and I'm excitedly counting out loud each skip along the surface. Other times it hits the water with a thunk and sinks immediately with me quickly releasing another one to cover up my fuddy-duddy toss. Writing can be like that for some authors. A hit or miss. Then there are others who are so good at their craft they just fling rocks like Frisbees in rapid succession. I would put...more Writing reviews is like skipping a flat stone across a lake. At least for me. Sometimes the rock whirls like a Frisbee and I'm excitedly counting out loud each skip along the surface. Other times it hits the water with a thunk and sinks immediately with me quickly releasing another one to cover up my fuddy-duddy toss. Writing can be like that for some authors. A hit or miss. Then there are others who are so good at their craft they just fling rocks like Frisbees in rapid succession. I would put Linda Sue Park in the latter category. Her books are terrific.

Ten-year-old Sun-hee lives with her parents and brother in Korea during World War II with the Japanese occupying their land. The Koreans cannot speak their language, hold positions of power, grow the national tree in their yards, fly the Korean flag, etc. As World War II progresses, more is taken from the Koreans and they can no longer get rice or meat. Sun-hee's brother joins the war knowing the family will get more food, but an unexpected turn puts his life more in peril than being directly in battle.

Linda Sue Park alternates between two main characters points of view: Sun-hee uses first person past tense, while her brother, Tae-yul, uses first person present tense. Sun-hee begins with complaints of not being told anything because she is a girl. She views her brother as being disrespectful for not answering her questions but in the next chapter Tae-yul writes from his point of view, saying his sister is annoying with her questions and we find out that he doesn't know the answer which is why he says disrespectfully, "It's none of your business." The alternating viewpoints give multiple perspectives allowing the author to go out of the narrow confines of writing in first person that allows for only one person's thoughts. Using both viewpoints gives a more complete picture of their family and the war situation.

The tense shift mirrors the personality of the characters. Sun-hee is quiet and reflective and writes in the past tense which is more introspective; she's looking back at her experience. Whereas, Tae-yul is more impulsive and the present tense adds to the drama and action of his story. Sun-hee's uncle has gone into hiding and she keeps a journal that she wants to give to him when she sees him again. I went back and read only Sun-hee's chapters and they do stand alone, telling most of the story. Tae-yul fills in the blanks as to what happened to uncle and himself in the war. The journal shows how Sun-hee changes from an insecure young girl who is jealous of all the attention her brother gets for being a boy to a sister who is a confidante and trusted with Tae-yul's motive for volunteering to fight in the war. At the end, she even entertains Tae-yul's idea that she become a scholar. Tae-yul's story gives supporting details and depth to the story but isn't complete like Sun-hee's. It adds depth and rounds out the story.

I kind of wanted Tomo's viewpoint. The story is slanted toward the Americans and the Japanese are one-dimensional except for Tomo. He shows them as real people. Tomo is Sun-hee's best friend in the beginning but then they go to middle school and they no longer hang out. I missed his presence. There is a propaganda movie that is shown in middle school and afterwards Tomo and his friends are pretending to kill the Americans. Tomo shows some humanity or boundaries by saying they wouldn't kill babies, but if we could have gone into his mind it could have shown his turmoil at having a best friend who is Korean and thoughts on war. Later, Tomo tries to warn Sun-hee but it is cryptic and she struggles to decipher his meaning. Tomo seems like a decent kid and his father probably was too. Perhaps more of the Japanese family would have balanced it out. Or perhaps Tae-yul should have had a Japanese friend. Park does show at the end that there are no winners in war.

The plot has some interesting twists such as Mrs. Ahn. The only loose end is answered in the Author's Note so make sure you read it. The characters all change from the father and mother to the children and made me engrossed in the storyline. I did wonder about the father and how he got the articles to the uncle. It seemed to contradict that no one knew where uncle was hiding and I would have liked an explanation regarding it.

Obviously, I'd like to skip stones more than sink them and this only takes practice. I decided to keep track of how much I read and write per month. In the book, Outliers, it says something to the effect that it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert. If I go by that number it will take me 40 years before I get good at this thing. Better up the writing time or you won't get an excellent review until I am in my 90s.

Reading Level 5.0

Fountas and Pinnell: Y

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May 14, 2012 Shane Prevosto rated it 4 of 5 stars

When my name was Keoko
Author: Linda Sue Park
Copyright: 2002
Publisher: Yearling
Pages: 192
Developmental age: 9-12 years
Chapter Book
Themes: War, family bond, grieving, freedom, power

Synopsis: Sun-hee and her family are Korean during War World II and Japanese officials have taken over their freedom. They have to change their name and fight to stay alive and to regain their freedom.

Personal response: I thought that When my name was Keoko was a great book to read for many reasons. It was interesting a...more

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Sep 23, 2011 Olivia rated it 5 of 5 stars

"When My Name Was Keoko" is the story of two Korean siblings experiences while living under the occupation of Japan. Sun-hee and and her brother Tae-yul reluctantly change their names to Keoko and Nobuo. Forced to give up important things in their lives, Sun-hee and Tae-yul are stripped of their childhood far too quickly. After their Uncle goes into hiding due to the dangers of working for the resistance, Sun-hee and Tae-yul's lives have officially turned upside down. Unable to go to school and...more

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Aug 04, 2011 Alex Baugh rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: world-war-2

When My Name Was Keokol is written in the first person, but with an interesting twist. The story of the Kim family in Korea during World War II is told in the alternating voice of Sun-hee, 10, and her brother, Tai-yul, 13. The story begins in 1940. The Japanese have occupied Korea since 1910, systematically suppressing Korean culture in favor of their own, and now, they want every Korean to change their names to a Japanese name. Sun-hee becomes Keoko, Tae-yul is given the name Nobuo and their la...more When My Name Was Keokol is written in the first person, but with an interesting twist. The story of the Kim family in Korea during World War II is told in the alternating voice of Sun-hee, 10, and her brother, Tai-yul, 13. The story begins in 1940. The Japanese have occupied Korea since 1910, systematically suppressing Korean culture in favor of their own, and now, they want every Korean to change their names to a Japanese name. Sun-hee becomes Keoko, Tae-yul is given the name Nobuo and their last name Kim is changed to Kaneyama. Everyone is unhappy about this name change, but what can they do? Quietly resisting, the Kim family can and do remain Korean within their homes and within their hearts.

Their father’s brother, Uncle, lives with the family and runs a printing store. As the Japanese become more and more restrictive, it seems that Uncle is cozying up to them, getting many additional printing jobs from them. Sun-hee and Tai-yul are wondering if there fiercely pro-Korea Uncle has suddenly become Chin-il-pa, a “lover of Japan.” Chin-il-pa is are Koreans who gets rich because they cooperate with the Japanese government (pg 22) and they are thought of as traitors by other Koreans.

Sun-hee and Tae-yul decide to investigate Uncle’s activities, only to discover that he not Chin-il-pa, but working for the Korean resistance movement. His outward friendly display towards the Japanese is an attempt to keep their suspicions at bay. One night, Sun-hee’s old Japanese friend Tomo comes by to hint that Uncle is in danger. Sun-hee immediately warns her Uncle and he disappears, no one knows to where. Now, during their nightly accounting, when everyone must stand outside their homes for as long as the Japanese want them to, they search the Kim home to find evidence of Uncle’s activities.

The Japanese authorities continue make life very hard for the Koreans, asking for more and more to be sacrificed for the Emperor. And they become even harsher and more demanding as they begin to lose the war. Families are forced to give up metal including pots and pans and their jewelry to be melted into munitions. Small acts of defiance follow these demands – Sun-hee’s mother hides a meaningful dragon brooch in her underwear. When her rows of Sharon trees, which had been the national flower of Korea, are ordered cut down and burned, in favor of Japanese Cherry Trees, she has the children save one small tree. They replant it and hide it in the tool shed.

Then, to make matters worse, towards the end of the war, Tae-yul, who has always been fascinated with machines and airplanes, unknowingly volunteers as a kamikaze pilot in the Japanese Special Attack Unit. Must they now make the ultimate sacrifice for their oppressors?

When My Name Was Keoko moves along less by action and more by description, almost like a diary of each child’s experiences. This also means that Park can more naturally include a lot of Korean history and culture without lapping into a kind of pedantic exposition that would cause the reader to lose interest. Park’s characters are well rounded, with a true to life feel to them. I was particularly drawn not just to Sun-hee but also to her elderly neighbor Mrs. Ahn, who in her own way refuses to accept the Japanese.

Among the many things in her Author’s Note at the end of the novel, Park writes that this novel was inspired by many of the stories her parents told her about their lives growing up in Korea during World War II. In fact, the name Kaneyama Keoko was really her mother’s Japanese name at that time. Her parent’s stories must have helped her form the alternating voices of gentle, thoughtful Sun-hee and her angry, impulsive brother, giving a broader picture of what life was like under the Japanese and the frustrations Koreans felt as they watched helplessly while their culture was decimated. Park has used other true events not connected to her family, but these are tailored to the Kim family in the novel. It is things like this that give a novel a realistic feeling such as that found in When My Name Was Keoko.

There is a note on Korean terms of address included, as well as a very useful short bibliography in addition to the Author’s Note. I really liked this book, it is a quietly powerful story that stayed in my mind long after I finished it, and I highly recommend it.

This book is recommended for readers age 9 and up.
This book was borrowed from the Webster Branch of the NYPL.
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Apr 23, 2010 Bob Beemsterboer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Linda Sue Park expertly narrates the fictional story of her mother's experience with the Japanese occupation of Korea during World War 2. She meshes actual historical events with her own story to help the reader imagine what a typical Korean family went through while under Japanese rule. As a history teacher, this story was particularly interesting to me, since WW2 told from the Korean perspective is not something that is widely known. This part of Korean history is often discarded from history...more

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Aug 12, 2009 Cindy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens-reads, young-adult-reads

Sun-hee, age 10, and her brother Tae-Yul, age 13, were living in South Korea during the Japanese occupation of their country. During this occupation and up through the second World War, these siblings fought to keep their Korean identities. It was Japan’s goal to full integrate Korea into their country by forcing the Korean’s to live by their customs, learn only Japanese while at school, eliminate even the plants that represented Korea’s own identity, and even going as far as forcing the Korean...more

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Sep 28, 2012 Sora Choi added it

Shelves: 3-culture-history

Theme: Culture & History

When My Name Was Keoko is the story of Sun-hee and Tae-yul, two Korean siblings who are forced to change their names and lives due to the Japanese occuption of Korea during World War II.

I chose this novel because it reflects a side of World War II that is often forgotten: the Japanese occuption of Korea. I also chose it because it deals with themes of identity and what it means to try and preserve your heritage and identity during a time of complete oppression. The tw...more

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Jun 19, 2012 Erin rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: read this if you're interested in WW II, Korean culture, oppression, or the power of language.

Shelves: book-club, childrens-book, multiple-narrators, one-lone-tear, plot-twist

3.5 stars

When My Name Was Keoko is an immersive look into Korean life during World War II.

I had only gotten a few pages into this book when I had to confront myself on my own stupidity-- why did I not know that Korea had been occupied by Japan in the early 20th century? I just took a Japanese literature course that briefly dealt with history, as well. You'd think I would know this.

The reality of having your culture stamped down by a stronger country is presented here with no melodrama or vilify...more 3.5 stars

When My Name Was Keoko is an immersive look into Korean life during World War II.

I had only gotten a few pages into this book when I had to confront myself on my own stupidity-- why did I not know that Korea had been occupied by Japan in the early 20th century? I just took a Japanese literature course that briefly dealt with history, as well. You'd think I would know this.

The reality of having your culture stamped down by a stronger country is presented here with no melodrama or vilifying. What this book most powerfully showed, in my opinion, is that it's the little things that matter. The Koreans weren't systematically rounded up and tortured/killed, but their language was banned. Their names were changed. Their national tree was uprooted and burned. The people of Korea didn't even know how to read or write in their own alphabet. It's all of this that comes together and creates an oppressive atmosphere, even though the Korean people were physically safe.

There is an alternating narration here, switching between Korean siblings Sun-hee and Tae-yul. It took me a while to warm up to Tae-yul, but overall I think the author (who also wrote A Single Shard) was successful in showing how the brother and sister are different but the same, and I ended up loving them both.

I won't say very much about the plot, because it stacks up so neatly and naturally that it's hard not to spoil. What I mean by that-- the last section of this book just floored me with how intense and heartbreaking and horrifying it was, but it didn't come out of nowhere. It was, again, the little things that led up to it. So, here's the bare bones of the story: A Korean family struggles to secretly hold on to their own culture in the face of Japanese threats. The siblings' Uncle is the strong Korean nationalist, the one who likes to endanger himself and speak his mind. In many different ways, the plot revolves around the family's attempts to keep their Uncle safe. And these attempts lead somewhere, to the ending that I had no idea was coming for me.

3.5 stars may not seem like that great of a rating, but don't let the star count deceive you. I had to limit my rating because the book was too obviously aimed at children, so it couldn't give me everything I wanted. But I think that for readers of any age, When My Name Was Keoko will educate you, surprise you, and involve you. It's a powerful and short read.(less)

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Mar 16, 2013 Gaby rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

This book is amazing. Following the story of two Korean siblings during the second world war, the reader is taken through the lives of both Sun-hee (the younger sister) and Tae-yul (older brother) during the war. Linda Sue Park has written this book very well, having researched events that happened and incorporating them into the novel. Within the book, the point of view changes between Sun-hee and Tae-yul, giving two very different perspectives on the war. Although this is confusing to begin wi...more

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Jan 14, 2013 Danielle rated it 1 of 5 stars

Recommended to Danielle by: College Literacy Class

Summary When My Name Was Keoko by Linda Sue Park (2004)

Sun-hee and her older brother Tae-yul are proud of their Korean heritage. Yet they live their lives under Japanese occupation. All students must read and write in Japanese and no one can fly the Korean flag. Hardest of all is when the Japanese Emperor forces all Koreans to take Japanese names. Sun-hee and Tae-yul become Keoko and Nobuo. Korea is torn apart by their Japanese invaders during World War II. Everyone must help with war preparatio...more

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Feb 12, 2013 penelopewanders rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: work-related-read

A number of years ago I began teaching an advanced EFL class with WWII as the theme. As I had some Asians in the class, I was keen to include a book based in Asia. So Far from the Bamboo Grove was recommended to me, and I have used it successfully with a number of classes. Set in Korea, it tells the true story of the flight of a Japanese family at the end of the war.
I think this book was recommended by amazon when I went to order books for my class this fall, so I decided to give it a go. As th...more

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Oct 01, 2012 Nora rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: 4th - 8th graders, especially for WWII units.

Shelves: older-elementary

This story is told in an alternating narrative by a brother and sister in Korea. It's WWII, and Korea is occupied by Japan. Students cannot learn anything 'Korean' in school and must only speak and write Japanese. As the war continues, more and more restrictions are placed on society to remove all signs of Korea. Even the symbolic Rose of Sharon trees must be dug up and burned. Keoko (or Sun-hee in Korean) and her family start to resist, and her mother digs up their Rose of Sharon and hides it i...more

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Mar 16, 2013 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is probably going to be another one of those "personal reflection" kind of posts, rather than an actual book review.
The book deals a lot with what it means to be Korean, especially as opposed to being Japanese. At one point Sun-hee gets worried, because she knows Americans can't tell the difference between a Japanese person and a Korean one on sight. The funny thing is that I kind of related. Everyone in England thinks I'm American until I tell them otherwise. So I am left thinking about t...more This is probably going to be another one of those "personal reflection" kind of posts, rather than an actual book review.
The book deals a lot with what it means to be Korean, especially as opposed to being Japanese. At one point Sun-hee gets worried, because she knows Americans can't tell the difference between a Japanese person and a Korean one on sight. The funny thing is that I kind of related. Everyone in England thinks I'm American until I tell them otherwise. So I am left thinking about the construction of identity and how it relates to nationality as a whole. Similarly, in the end of the book the Americans come. Sun-hee doesn't say very much about them, but she does talk about how they smile a lot. She also comments on how they honk their horns to clear the road, but also when two American jeeps pass by each other they honk and wave. She says it seems friendly enough, but it's loud. It's always interesting to see something I take as commonplace represented as alien. And even though I'm not American, and I generally don't like to be associated with Americanism, I felt a surge of affection at this familiarity.
Basically, the more I travel the more I find my identity tied up in the fact that "I am Canadian" even though what "Canadian" is tends to be little more than a conglomeration of American and British. (It turns out lots of things I would use to separate Canada from the USA are also things that the British claim as being "very British." And lots of things I use to separate myself from the British, connect me to Americans.) But this doesn't change the fact that the longer I am away from Canada, the more proud I become to be Canadian. We have problems, there's not doubt. But it hurts me to see my friends on Facebook who've never left Canada for longer than a month or two for holiday criticize Canada so intensely. They claim a knowledge of politics and economics, but I don't think they really have a grasp on what it means to be Canadian.
All that to say, young people should travel, and the book is worth reading.(less)

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Feb 07, 2013 Krystle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Japan-occupied Korea! Juvenile section of the library, yeah!

Shoot, there's even a chapter wherein girls are pulled from the schoolyard to become comfort women! (Albeit never addressed as such directly/by name. It's more obvious when checking the Author's Note at the end.)

Surprise at such heavy content in a children's book aside, my biggest issue here is the lack of distinct voice between the two protagonists. At one point I was reading a Sun-hee chapter (but thought it was a Tae-yul chapter), an...more

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Mar 09, 2010 Jonathan rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was an interesting book about a family in Korea. The family in this book are struggling with thier lives because they are Korean. The setting is at the time of World War II and the Japanese had control over Korea. Koreans weren't allowed to write or speak thier own language. I felt bad for this family because when i tried to imagine being in that family i thought about all the difficalties and hardships they havw to go through. In this book there were two main characters, not really but thi...more

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Jul 02, 2012 Rebecca rated it 2 of 5 stars

Recommended to Rebecca by: Found it browsing at the bookstore

Park provides the reader with an intimate view of a Korean family living through the Japanese occupation thirty years prior to the end of WWII. While I liked the use of dueling narrative voices and perspectives (a sister and her brother), I found the distinction in each voice lacking. Had the chapter heading not identified the speaker, I would have struggled to tell the difference. Further, I didn't get a sense of growth in the narrators' voices. While they moved through very dramatic times in t...more

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Jan 06, 2010 Nathan Alveshere rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sun-hee and her older brother Tae-yul live in Korea and are proud with their heritage.With the spark of World War II Japan conquers korea and forces all Koreans to help with the war prepartion while slowly forcing all Koreans to abandon their culture in hopes of taking over Korea forever. All students must read and write in Japanese and no one can fly the Korean flag. Later on the Emperor of Japan forces all of its people to abandon their Korean names and choose Japanese names, Sun-hee being Ke...more

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Jul 13, 2009 Heloyce rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

An interesting account of a time and circumstance that was quite unknown to me. Once again, I was impressed with the power of words throughout the story. Sunhee was reluctant to change her name and to relinquish the language she loved, but she was also fascinated with kanji and wished to master it. She wrote in her diary using words to remember important things. When her diary was destroyed, ("...you may burn the paper but not the words")she wrote again more determined than ever to use her words...more

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Sep 30, 2011 Fulair rated it 5 of 5 stars

This historical fiction is about a young girl, Sun-hee, and her older brother, Tae-yul, living in 1940's Korea. That was when the Japanese had taken over Korea. Koreans had to speak Japanese, learn Japanese subjects, and even change their names to Japanese. If that wasn't bad enough, Sun-hee's Uncle went missing, and her own brother decided to join the Japanese army.

I really liked this book by Linda Sue Park. I have read her other books, such as A Single Shard, and Kite Fighters, but I would say...more

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Mar 04, 2010 Ch_amyM rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

Linda Sue Park brings to light a dark past in World history in When My Name Was Keoko. The book is written from the view point of Sun-hee, a young girl, and Tae-yul, her older brother. The book follows their lives living in a Japanese ruled Korea prior to and during World War II. Through their young eyes you learn of the oppression the Koreans felt during this time, their desire to hang on to their culture and traditions and the lengths they would go to in order to do so.
This book had me hooked...more

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Jun 13, 2012 Kay rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: borrowed-library, kay-s-100-pound-book-challenge, read-in-2012

The author did a masterful job of presenting history, through the perspectives of a Korean girl and boy (sister and brother). As the narration alternated between the two main characters, a complete story unfolded about happened during the Japanese occupation of Korea in WWII.

In addition to presenting history, I appreciated how the author presented concepts like "shame", how language influences culture, and how cultural symbols (like the Rose of Sharon tree) can be powerful.

There were surprises,...more

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Sep 30, 2011 MizLaT rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-school-appropriate

Students LOVE this book. Partly because they learn so much about history in a part of the world largely unknown to them and partly because they identify with either Sun-hee, the female main character or Tae-yul, the male main character. The Japanese take-over of Korea has been described as "an empty cupboard" in which little information is available to the public. Stripped of their language, their national tree, even their Korean names during the Japanese occupation of their country, the years b...more

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Jul 13, 2010 Steele rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: multi-cultural

Linda Sue Park presents an accurate, and most importantly, an authentic version of the Japanese invasion of Korea. She uses the voices of 10 year old Sun-hee and her older brother Tae-yul as they struggle to maintain their identity and dignity, they are forced to give up many of their customs, such as not being able to use their Korean names. Because she is tells the story of her own family, the story leaves a greater impact. I feel that this is a great multicultural book to add to any classroom...more

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May 11, 2010 Tara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mc-literature, realistic-fiction

When my name was Keoko was a great read. Park does a nice job of presenting the Korean point of view of World War II and does so with a very inviting and engaging narration. The chapters go between the point of view of Keoko/Sun-hee and her brother Nobuo/Tae-yul, allowing the reader to see the same happenings from two different minds. It is the story of a Korean family struggling to keep their Korean identity and culture while working to survive World War two and the Japanese occupation. The fam...more
When my name was Keoko was a great read. Park does a nice job of presenting the Korean point of view of World War II and does so with a very inviting and engaging narration. The chapters go between the point of view of Keoko/Sun-hee and her brother Nobuo/Tae-yul, allowing the reader to see the same happenings from two different minds. It is the story of a Korean family struggling to keep their Korean identity and culture while working to survive World War two and the Japanese occupation. The family runs into more personal struggles when their uncle, who works on an illegal Korean newspaper, must flee and the brother must join the Japanese army in order to protect his uncle.

I believe When my name was Keoko is culturally authentic. This book was written by Linda Sue Park who was born and raised an American, but by Korean immigrant parents. Factually, the story of Sun-hee and her family is correct as it discusses Korea and Korean’s experience during World War II. It also includes a great amount of Korean culture both in what the family does and in discussion of what they are not able to do during the war. Park also ties in Korean culture through the use of Korean terms of address for each of the family members (Abuji for father, Omoni for mother, Opah for younger brother, Yobo as a term of endearment between husband and wife, etc…)

I enjoyed that Keoko/Sun-hee is baffled when she learns that the American troops may not be able to tell the Koreans apart from the Japanese. She then explains how simple it is to tell the Korean men apart from the Japanese men by describing how each looks (size, height, coloration, etc…) I found the child-like exploration of racism innocent yet powerful. In fact, everything as explored through the eyes of Keoko/Sun-hee and her brother was more powerful than if it had been told by an adult character or even an outside narrator. An example of this is when Tae-yul narrates, “They’re doing it again. taking whatever they want. Grandfather’s hair, Omoni’s jewelry, Sun-hee’s diary. My bicycle. And we can’t do anything to stop them… This time, I have to do something” (119-120). Right after this he joins the Japanese Imperial forces in order to protect his uncle and family.

This book is a great choice for students and children of different ages as it can be explored on different levels. This book is rich with historical information about the war as well as rich with information of Korean culture and so can be used in a historical context of either. Because it is told from the point of view of a young girl, children can relate to her and thus connect with her story and it can be used to show students how youth from other parts of the world live and what their struggles are. Or, this book can be used as an engaging and interesting read just for enjoyment.
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Feb 07, 2010 vincent Kyin is currently reading it

This book is in the past. it is about the Japanese taking over the Koreans. now keoko's family has to change all theirs names. they have to have Japanese names. uncle is angry about how they can do whatever they want. keoko's family hopes that one day the Koreans will be own country again. uncle is working for a secret movement and has gone to hiding. the Japanese are at war. keoko's family is very sad. Their family has suffered harsh conditions.They still have Korean in them. the Japanese wants...more

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About Linda Sue Park

Linda Sue Park is a Korean American author of children's fiction. Park published her first novel, Seesaw Girl, in 1999. To date, she has written six children’s novels and five picture books for younger readers. Park’s work achieved prominence when she received the prestigious 2002 Newbery Medal for her novel A Single Shard.

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Quotes from When My Name Was Keoko

“A mistake made with good in your heart is still a mistake, but it is one for which you must forgive yourself.” — 57 people liked it

“How could an alphabet--letters that didn't even mean anything by themselves--be important?
But it was important. Our stories, our names, our alphabet. Even Uncle's newspaper.
It was all about words.
If words weren't important, they wouldn't try so hard to take them away.” — 11 people liked it

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When My Name Was Keoko

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