Sook Nyul Choi is the author of a highly commended series of books for young teens that poignantly describe the hardships faced by a young Korean girl during a time of war and strife in her country. Reviewers of children's literature have written admirably of Choi's talent in creating an indomitable heroine, Sookan, and a first-person narrative voice that is both empathetic and survival-minded. But portraying life in Korea during a time of war and occupation, as well as Sookan's later experiences as a college student abroad, came easily to Choi, for Sookan's fictional life simply mirrored her own. Interwoven throughout this trio of novels--and the two picture books for younger readers that Choi has also penned--are vivid and educational descriptions of Korean heritage, culture, and family life.

"I now have two countries, my native country of Korea, and my adopted country, the United States," Choi once observed...