Yunmi's Korean grandmother has lived with her U.S. family in New York City for two months but is still reluctant to use English words when she sees Yunmi's school friends, even though she was a teacher in Korea. Rather than proving to be the embarrassing situation Yumni expects, a school picnic provides Yunmi and her classmates with an opportunity to encourage this very smart, exceedingly gracious woman to enjoy herself in a social setting. The picnic features Halmoni's kimbap, which she has made as a treat for them all, as well as a chance for her to turn the jump rope. The children find out that it is polite to call her Halmoni (grandmother) but rude to address an elder by her name. A contemporary story by the Korean-born author of YEAR OF IMPOSSIBLE GOODBYES (Houghton Mifflin, 1991) specifies ways to understand how someone new to a language might feel. Korean language words are used in context within this cheerful 10 1/4" by 7 1/2" picture story illustrated in full color. (Ages 5-8)

When Yunmi's class decides to have a picnic in Central Park, her Korean grandmother, Halmoni, agrees to chaperone. But Yunmi is worried that the other children might make fun of Halmoni's traditional Korean dress and the unfamiliar Korean food she has prepared. Full-color illustrations.