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Peach Heaven
Based on the author's childhood in South Korea
The white peaches grown in Puchon are the best in all South Korea, and a rare treat for a little girl who lives in the town. She dreams of a peach orchard where she can play and eat as much of the delicious fruit as she wishes. Then one day, after weeks of heavy downpours, the sky begins to rain peaches. Yangsook finds herself in peach heaven - until she remembers the farmers who have lost their harvest, and decides she must help them.
Paintings with scenes that evoke traditional South Korean landscapes accompany this lovingly told story from the author's childhood.
The white peaches grown in Puchon are the best in all South Korea, and a rare treat for a little girl who lives in the town. She dreams of a peach orchard where she can play and eat as much of the delicious fruit as she wishes. Then one day, after weeks of heavy downpours, the sky begins to rain peaches. Yangsook finds herself in peach heaven - until she remembers the farmers who have lost their harvest, and decides she must help them.
Paintings with scenes that evoke traditional South Korean landscapes accompany this lovingly told story from the author's childhood.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published May 6, 2005
About the author
Yangsook Choi
16 books51 followersYangsook Choi is the author of the beloved classic THE NAME JAR. Growing up in Korea, she began drawing at age four and delighted in telling her grandmother scary stories at night. After moving to New York to pursue her art, she has written and illustrated many books for young readers.
Her books have been acclaimed as a New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year, an American Library Association Notable Book, and with an International Literacy Association's Children's Book Award. She has also received 200+ rejection letters until she lost count.
Her past jobs include waiting tables at a smoky Korean BBQ restaurant, flying as a flight attendant, and drawing tiny pictures on fake nails.
Her books have been acclaimed as a New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year, an American Library Association Notable Book, and with an International Literacy Association's Children's Book Award. She has also received 200+ rejection letters until she lost count.
Her past jobs include waiting tables at a smoky Korean BBQ restaurant, flying as a flight attendant, and drawing tiny pictures on fake nails.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
October 30, 2022
I am kind of conflicted about this book. If I hadn't done as much research as I had or looked into the story behind the book as much, and if I hadn't cared as much, I would have liked this one a lot more. It is an interesting story that looks at a place most people haven't heard of, but I fear that (if it actually didn't happen) it could also hinder kids' appreciation of the world as it is if they start to see Korea (or any other place) as a magic, peach raining, fantasy land. Again, if the author had used a different name for the character and/or maintained that the whole story was fiction, I would have a less hard time with this book, but as is I can't appreciate it as much as I want to.
Read my full review on my Goodreads account for children's books.
Read my full review on my Goodreads account for children's books.
October 14, 2009
Yangsook lives in a a town in South Korea known for their delicious peaches. Yangsook doesn't get to have peaches very often because of how expensive they are. She daydreams of a "peach heaven" where the children play in the peach orchards and eat peaches all day! One night, heavy rains fall and carry the peaches all the way from the mountain orchard to the town. It looks like it's raining peaches! Yangsook gathers the peaches in her umbrella, and her family feasts on the delicious treats. It was peach heaven! Later that night, Yangsook begins to think about the poor farmers that have lost all of their peaches. When she wakes up in the morning, she has an idea that will make the farmer's day!
This is a beautiful and true story written and illustrated by Yangsook Choi. The imagery makes you feel as if you have been transported to one of the peach orchards in Puchon South Korea. This book would be perfect to go along with a unit on weather, or as a read-aloud.
This is a beautiful and true story written and illustrated by Yangsook Choi. The imagery makes you feel as if you have been transported to one of the peach orchards in Puchon South Korea. This book would be perfect to go along with a unit on weather, or as a read-aloud.
July 31, 2022
In 1976, it rained peaches.
Yeah, you read that right. In Puchon (aka Bucheon), Korea, a central location for peaches, the rains were so heavy that it rained peaches all over the city. Yangsook Choi tells readers all about witnessing this phenomenon and how everyone came to collect the juicy fruits that were normally too expensive to buy in bulk. But somehow after being flung from the trees and raining like hailstones, the peaches were perfectly fine.
Except... it might not be true. All references I can find to this event on the first three pages of Google searches refer to either the book or the author. You'd think that there would be other accounts if this actually happened, since it seems like it's a significant historical event that a lot of people would remember, and maybe there would be at least one account of this besides Choi's story. However, in multiple locations, Yangsook Choi insists that it happened. To add to the confusion, Yangsook is the name of the story's main character. One of my pet peeves is authors who completely lie about their life story and/or other true events (or even a small part of it) for a good story, and they do this in multiple places (ex. every online interview with the author as well as in the author's note). When they keep insisting these happened, it just reads like, "It's true, I was the fly on the wall" type of publicity-grabbing or lying for attention.
Aside from this, Peach Heaven is a really strong story about a girl with simple dreams (of peaches, hence the title) and what happens when she gets everything she wants. While Yangsook and her family and neighbors enjoy all the peaches they can eat, she worries about the farmers who have lost their crop for the year. The solution she comes up with to help the farmers is fun, though she admits that this part is fictional (and frankly, would also be impractical). It also features a family structure where the parents are not at the forefront, though it is ambiguous as to whether they are there or not. I love seeing this as well.
I am kind of conflicted about this book. If I hadn't done as much research as I had or looked into the story behind the book as much, and if I hadn't cared as much, I would have liked this one a lot more. It is an interesting story that looks at a place most people haven't heard of, but I fear that (if it actually didn't happen) it could also hinder kids' appreciation of the world as it is if they start to see Korea (or any other place) as a magic, peach raining, fantasy land. Again, if the author had used a different name for the character and/or maintained that the whole story was fiction, I would have a less hard time with this book, but as is I can't appreciate it as much as I want to.
Yeah, you read that right. In Puchon (aka Bucheon), Korea, a central location for peaches, the rains were so heavy that it rained peaches all over the city. Yangsook Choi tells readers all about witnessing this phenomenon and how everyone came to collect the juicy fruits that were normally too expensive to buy in bulk. But somehow after being flung from the trees and raining like hailstones, the peaches were perfectly fine.
Except... it might not be true. All references I can find to this event on the first three pages of Google searches refer to either the book or the author. You'd think that there would be other accounts if this actually happened, since it seems like it's a significant historical event that a lot of people would remember, and maybe there would be at least one account of this besides Choi's story. However, in multiple locations, Yangsook Choi insists that it happened. To add to the confusion, Yangsook is the name of the story's main character. One of my pet peeves is authors who completely lie about their life story and/or other true events (or even a small part of it) for a good story, and they do this in multiple places (ex. every online interview with the author as well as in the author's note). When they keep insisting these happened, it just reads like, "It's true, I was the fly on the wall" type of publicity-grabbing or lying for attention.
Aside from this, Peach Heaven is a really strong story about a girl with simple dreams (of peaches, hence the title) and what happens when she gets everything she wants. While Yangsook and her family and neighbors enjoy all the peaches they can eat, she worries about the farmers who have lost their crop for the year. The solution she comes up with to help the farmers is fun, though she admits that this part is fictional (and frankly, would also be impractical). It also features a family structure where the parents are not at the forefront, though it is ambiguous as to whether they are there or not. I love seeing this as well.
I am kind of conflicted about this book. If I hadn't done as much research as I had or looked into the story behind the book as much, and if I hadn't cared as much, I would have liked this one a lot more. It is an interesting story that looks at a place most people haven't heard of, but I fear that (if it actually didn't happen) it could also hinder kids' appreciation of the world as it is if they start to see Korea (or any other place) as a magic, peach raining, fantasy land. Again, if the author had used a different name for the character and/or maintained that the whole story was fiction, I would have a less hard time with this book, but as is I can't appreciate it as much as I want to.
June 30, 2024
It's raining Peaches!!
August 14, 2008
Reading this made me want to eat peaches! How great to have students look at a common fruit we eat in the summertime and read this story about how important peaches were to the farmers of this community across the world.
April 2, 2018
“Peach Heaven” is a cute story that revolves around a girl named Youngsook who has an infatuation for peaches. They are her favorite fruit, but she does not really have much of the opportunity to enjoy them because they are expensive, and her family cannot afford them. One day, a surprise showers into Yangsook’s town, and she must decide on what to do with this big surprise!
The first thing that I noticed upon reading this book was that the book was originated in China because of the Chinese letters that are written throughout the book. I thought that was neat. Some design elements that I also noticed were the bright colors the illustrator incorporated on each page. Each page kind of popped out in its own way. I also noticed that the illustrations were all watercolor-like paintings. The had soft brushstrokes that were beautiful. As for literary elements, I noticed that the author uses shorter dialogue for beginner readers. She also uses very descriptive words that paint a picture in your head. It made is age appropriate for earlier readers.
This book is one of Youngsook Choi’s most known books because of the pretty flow, and the beautiful illustrations. I really enjoyed this book, it was like reading fun paintings with words!
The first thing that I noticed upon reading this book was that the book was originated in China because of the Chinese letters that are written throughout the book. I thought that was neat. Some design elements that I also noticed were the bright colors the illustrator incorporated on each page. Each page kind of popped out in its own way. I also noticed that the illustrations were all watercolor-like paintings. The had soft brushstrokes that were beautiful. As for literary elements, I noticed that the author uses shorter dialogue for beginner readers. She also uses very descriptive words that paint a picture in your head. It made is age appropriate for earlier readers.
This book is one of Youngsook Choi’s most known books because of the pretty flow, and the beautiful illustrations. I really enjoyed this book, it was like reading fun paintings with words!
March 15, 2021
This book is based on one of the author's memories from her childhood. She lived in Puchon, South Korea which is known for its delicious peaches. And one day it was raining really bad and the peaches from the peach orchard ended up in the flooded streets of her small village. She was happy to have peaches but then she realized that the farmers wouldn't be so happy to see almost all of their peaches gone and decides to find a way to put all of the peaches back on the trees, and she did. And in the end, she had a surprise growing in her yard at home, a peach tree.
This book is a great book to read to children because it's a great book to show them that good things come to people who are nice to others. And the fact that she didn't have to bring the peaches back to the farmer showed that she had a really kind heart and really wanted them to happy to see that all their peaches were still there rather than keeping them.
This book is a great book to read to children because it's a great book to show them that good things come to people who are nice to others. And the fact that she didn't have to bring the peaches back to the farmer showed that she had a really kind heart and really wanted them to happy to see that all their peaches were still there rather than keeping them.
February 13, 2018
Peach Heaven is a book about a young girl that loves the peaches in her hometown and how one day the sky rained down those beautiful white peached. The story is relatable and is told from the point of view of a young child with a very creative imagination. The book gives an insight to another culture and Choi does good job of transporting the reader to the setting that she intended. The use of the descriptive words help engage the reader and helps them imagine what the peaches would really be like. Reading this story was like taking a bite out of a sweet white peach, transporting the reader to their own peach heaven!
February 22, 2026
When a storm causes peaches to be picked up by the wind and carried, they rain down on the villagers in the town of Bucheon. The villagers realize that the farmers who planted and grew the pictures will be bereft of income without them, so they load the peaches into barrels and carts and haul them up the mountain to return them to the farmers. An authors note at the end reveals this is based on an actual storm that happened in 1972, and that the community really did rally together to cart the peaches to the farms in the mountains.
December 5, 2023
Based on a true story when peaches really did fall from the sky during a storm. The artwork was quite lovely, and I liked that the people showed honesty and integrity at the end by returning the peaches to the farmers.
May 26, 2017
This story is about a young Korean girl and her search for the beautiful white peaches. I would give this book 3 out of 5 stars because of its gorgeous illustrations and multicultural storytelling.
October 7, 2021
Excellent book about Korea
March 31, 2022
This was a fun and unique story we read when we studied South Korea
August 16, 2023
Sweet!
August 29, 2024
Cute true story! There is also a new version that has different illustrations. I like them both.
August 31, 2024
Cute story about the importance of kindness, also the importance of farmers
March 26, 2026
What a wonderful book! Based on a fascinating real event, this story was sweet in so many ways.
July 18, 2017
Growing up in the peach capital of South Korea but unable to afford the valuable fruit, Yangsook dreams of peaches raining from the sky. Then, in the heavy rains and floods of 1976, the peaches actually do descend on the village. Is it a dream come true? Or is it time for the community to come together in a new way? (Genre: Picture book memoir. Ages 5-8)
February 2, 2010
Peach Heaven is a story of a young Korean girl, Yangsook, who lives near the village famous for their peaches. more than anything. In fact she loves peaches and their sweetness so much that she chooses to complete her homework assignment about them. Yet one day one of the worst hailstorms in history destroys the peach farmers crops. So Yangsook and her friends devise a plan to help the farmers.
The author wrote this story based on her own vivid recollections of the storm that made the peaches rain from the trees on August 12, 1976. This information is added at the end of the book Author's Note. The author's note also discusses the cultural relevancy of peaches in Korean mythology. I felt that this was a wonderful addition to add to the end of the book because it does not distract the readers from Yangsook and her love of peaches for what they are to her. Choi also does a nice job revealing the family dynamic subtly with the inclusion of Yangsook's grandma living at home with the family and helping raise Yangsook and her younger brother.
The author wrote this story based on her own vivid recollections of the storm that made the peaches rain from the trees on August 12, 1976. This information is added at the end of the book Author's Note. The author's note also discusses the cultural relevancy of peaches in Korean mythology. I felt that this was a wonderful addition to add to the end of the book because it does not distract the readers from Yangsook and her love of peaches for what they are to her. Choi also does a nice job revealing the family dynamic subtly with the inclusion of Yangsook's grandma living at home with the family and helping raise Yangsook and her younger brother.
November 2, 2010
I thought that this was a well written story about an incident that happened during the author's childhood in Puchon, Korea. The rain came down so vigorously that it knocked the peaches from the orchards in the country and rained peaches in the city. All the towns people gathered the peaches and took them back to the farmers. Yangsook added a short note at the end to highlight the peach's significance in Korean culture. Beautiful oriental illustrations that match the story. I choose this book for the Grandparents Bibliography.
January 22, 2011
Although this story has little text the author does a wonderful job of capturing the reader's mind through great imagery. As I read through this book I could just imagine what it would be like for a little girl to see peaches raining down from the sky. I appreciated the author giving us some background knowledge on the town of Puchon where she grew up. The story of the flood and peaches was real but the way she told it through a little girl's eyes was impressive and added so much to the story.
November 14, 2011
Yangsook Choi writes this book about a Korean town famous for wonderful peaches. The trees surround the young Yangsook, but the fruit is too expensive for their family. She tells the story from her point of view. One day after a storm, the rain sends peaches down the mountain and they catch them with an umbrella. Yangsook eats like crazy but worries the farmers will lose their crops.
It is a book for younger children K-2.
Categories:
Farmers
Peach growers
Fairness
Helpfulness
Rain
Korea
Author of The Name Jar.
http://www.yangsookchoi.com/
It is a book for younger children K-2.
Categories:
Farmers
Peach growers
Fairness
Helpfulness
Rain
Korea
Author of The Name Jar.
http://www.yangsookchoi.com/
August 28, 2015
Set in the town of Puchon in South Korea, Peach Heaven is a lovely story of a girl, Yangsook, during a downpour so heavy that peaches from a mountain showered down like hailstones. This is also a story about peaches and helping others. The illustration style is beautiful and distinctive. I also like the author's note page at the end that describes the actual event in 1976, on which the story is based on.
April 22, 2013
This book gives a multicultural perspective from something other than "African Americans." Often diversity comes in the form of only black and white which does not accurately portray the society we live in. This is a quality book that uncovers some true cultural traditions outside of the united states.
May 20, 2016
Read a blog about Asian writers of children's books last week and decided to read some in order to learn more about their culture. Found this gem...delightful story with the historical importance stated at the end. The importance of family, strength of community and love for nature are displayed for all to see. Illustrations are amazing.
February 2, 2011
It's always neat to see books written about your own culture and people. This book would be a great add to a collection of diverse culture books. There is also a little information about Korea and peaches at the end of the book.
July 17, 2015
I read this book as I was doing a post on peaches for my blog. This lovely book is based on a true event when exquisite peaches fell from the trees during a storm and ended up in the author's town. Beautiful prose. beautiful illustrations. Set in Korea.
September 7, 2011
this is mine and Isabelle's favorite book ever! Definitely favorite children's book! We get it every time we go to the library!
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November 11, 2010I thought this book was a good demonstration of how being unselfish can be rewarding to you.
August 10, 2016
This book is lovely. It is a picture book with beautiful illustrations and a sweet story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews