{"product_id":"gathering-of-pearls-9780618809189","title":"Gathering of Pearls","description":"\u003ch2\u003eGathering of Pearls: A Korean American Coming-of-Age Story\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\"It is easy to fall in love with this gentle girl. . . . Readers who share in this emotional journey with Sookan will grow along with her in wisdom.\"--School Library Journal\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\"Just as oysters make pearls out of grains of sand, women create something precious from their suffering. Preparing to face life alone, Sookan gathers her strength--her pearls--and resolves to succeed.\"--Kirkus Reviews\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eA Journey of Self-Discovery and Cultural Adaptation\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs Sookan Bak, the heroine of Year of Impossible Goodbyes and Echoes of the White Giraffe, travels the long distance between Seoul, Korea, and New York City, she is consumed by questions about her future. What will her life in America be like? Will she be able to communicate and fit in? Will she do well in her studies? And has she been selfish in her decision to leave her family and pursue her own dreams?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis compelling novel captures Sookan's first year in America—a time filled with overwhelming challenges, surprising joys, and exhilarating discoveries. The story addresses universal questions faced by immigrants and young adults navigating new environments while maintaining connections to their heritage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePart of an Award-Winning Series\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGathering of Pearls continues the story begun in Sook Nyul Choi's acclaimed Year of Impossible Goodbyes, winner of the Judy Lopez Children's Book Award. Readers who followed Sookan through her experiences as a refugee during the Korean War will find her college years equally engaging as she confronts different but equally challenging obstacles in 1950s America.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eChoi, Sook Nyul:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - Born in Pyongyang, North Korea, Sook Nyul Choi spent two and a half years as a refugee in Pusan during the Korean War. She later immigrated to the United States to pursue her college education at Manhattanville College. She taught school in New York City for twenty years while she and her husband raised two daughters. \u003ci\u003eEchoes of the White Giraffe\u003c\/i\u003e is a sequel to Sook Nyul Choi's first novel, \u003ci\u003eYear of Impossible Goodbyes\u003c\/i\u003e, which won the Judy Lopez Children's Book Award.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThemes and Educational Value\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis young adult novel explores themes of resilience, cultural identity, and personal growth. The narrative provides insight into the immigrant experience, making it valuable for readers interested in Korean American literature, historical fiction set in 1950s New York, and stories featuring strong female protagonists overcoming adversity through determination and courage.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Houghton Mifflin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50680655347986,"sku":"9780618809189","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_dbd07c67-73d3-40d9-90ec-49955d5fb12c.jpg?v=1734923834","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/gathering-of-pearls-9780618809189","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}