Tigers, Frogs, and Rice Cakes: A Book of Korean Proverbs

by Soma Han Stickler (Illustrator)

Sok-dam -- folk sayings -- represent enduring values held throughout all strata of Korean society. Each proverb in this book focuses on a significant folk symbol or belief deeply held by Koreans. In a culture where language ability is highly respected, proverbs are used as a tool for expressing oneself with grace and style. Accompanied by glowing illustrations, twenty proverbs are grouped in three themes: character, eating, cooperation and accomplishment. By reading and understanding only a few words, the simple elegance of proverbs helps us learn much about Korean culture and language.

32 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 1999

Reviews

[Nicolewinter2011 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Illustrator: Soma Han Stickler
Publisher: Shen's Books
Year Published: 1999
Interest Level: Grades 3-8
Reading Level: Grades 3-5

This book is beautifully illustrated with water colors. The bilingual book illustrates Korean proverbs in both English and Spanish. There is also transliteration for Korean pronunciation support. While younger students might be able to decode the text, the figurative and inferential language increases the reading comprehension level.

This text could be a way of going deeper into a cultural study. Some proverbs could be compared to similar English proverbs. For example, "Too many carpenters knock over the house" is similar to the common English proverb "Too many cooks in the kitchen spoils the soup." Some might require more background information to understand, such as "Even Diamond Mountain should be admired after eating." Fortunately, there is an explanation of each proverb at the end of the book. It could be a good conversation starter, though to have students make predictions about what they think the proverb means before hearing the background information.

I highly recommend this text as a way to go beyond food and holidays as a focus for cultural education.

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as a language learner. It was great for that purpose. Easy to read proverbs that help gain confidence, excellent cultural insight, and the explanations of the proverbs in the index. I truly enjoyed this book.