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The co-op bookstore for avid readers
A Spoonful of the Sea
On her birthday, a girl is presented with a bowl of miyeokguk, seaweed soup--instead of the cake she wants. As she stirs her soup, her mother tells her how mothers eat it after giving birth and how it is served on birthdays to honor them; about haenyeo, women who dive into the ocean's depths to harvest shellfish and seaweed; and how, many mothers ago, a pregnant haenyeo saw a whale eating seaweed after giving birth and tried it after having her own baby--creating a tradition that would continue for generations of daughters to come.
Award-winning picture book creator Hyewon Yum has crafted a luminous and heartfelt celebration of motherhood, heritage, and the deep-rooted connection between women and nature.
Book Details
- Publisher: Norton Young Readers
- Publish Date: Sep 9th, 2025
- Pages: 32
- Language: English
- Edition: undefined - undefined
- Dimensions: 10.27in - 9.25in - 0.43in - 0.94lb
- EAN: 9781324053699
- Recommended age: 04-08
- Categories: • Holidays & Celebrations - Birthdays• Legends, Myths, Fables - Asian• Family - Multigenerational
About the Author
Yum, Hyewon: - Hyewon Yum is the award-winning creator of several picture books, including Mom, It's My First Day of Kindergarten!, winner of the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award. Originally from South Korea, she now lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Praise for this book
Young readers will dive into a warm, comforting story about a humble bowl of seaweed soup that celebrates the gift of life and the deep love shared between mothers and daughters... The illustrations evoke a tenderness that echoes the mother's narration, moving seamlessly through time from the girl to her mother and the women before them.-- "The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books"
Visible pencil marks and soft splashes of color give Yum's illustrations a tender intimacy and a coziness befitting her gently told tribute to the ties that bind... A tale of familial warmth and strength, steeped in generations of tradition.-- "Kirkus Reviews"
A delight to read... Yum's declarative narration is understated, but powerful. Subtle alliteration and repetition give readers the feeling of an often-told and beloved tale... Hyewon Yum's art feels warm and comfortable, safe and familiar. Even as we travel into past generations, Yum's soft sketches in colored pencil radiate a strong sense of home... Dive into this oceanic rabbit hole: You will be mesmerized.-- "BookPage"
[A] tender, time-spanning narrative... Soft, signature-style illustrations from Yum (Toto) build to a moving spread of a whale and generations of haenyeo swimming in the bowl of soup, lovingly linking mothers across species and decades.-- "Publishers Weekly (starred review)"