Juna and Appa

by Jane Park, Felicia Hoshino (Illustrator)

Overview

From the creators of the award-winning picture book Juna's Jar, comes a new magical tale where Juna embarks on a journey to help her biggest hero--her Appa!

Juna enjoys helping her father in their dry-cleaning shop on Saturdays. It's their special time together.

One day Juna sees a customer yelling at Appa about a lost jacket. Juna has never seen her father look so worried and becomes determined to help. She sets off on a magical journey in search of the jacket, and along the way meets remarkable animals that show her the different ways that fathers care for their young.

Juna and Appa is a tender ode to fathers and to the many families working behind shop counters.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781643795287
Publisher:	Lee & Low Books
Publication date:	05/03/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
Lexile:	AD560L (what's this?)
File size:	32 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Jane Park (formerly Bahk) won Lee & Low's New Voices Award for Juna's Jar, which was also recognized with the Asian/Pacific American Library Association Award for Literature and as a Notable Book for a Global Society by the International Literacy Association. Juna and Appa was inspired by her memories of growing up in her family's dry-cleaning shop. Park lives with her family in the San Francisco Bay Area. You can visit her online at janeparkbooks.com.

Felicia Hoshino is an award-winning illustrator and graphic designer who also illustrated Lee & Low's Juna's Jar, A Place Where Sunflowers Grow, and Little Sap and Monsieur Rodin. In addition to creating mixed-media images for children's books and magazines, she enjoys painting children's portraits, cooking with her husband, and decorating the walls at home with art created by her son and daughter. Hoshino lives in her native San Francisco, California, with her family. You can visit her online at felishino.com.

Editorial Reviews

05/23/2022

A girl goes on a series of imaginary adventures with unique fathers from the natural world in this captivating follow-up to Juna’s Jar. Juna, who cues as Korean American, enjoys helping her Appa at the family’s dry cleaning shop, but when an expensive garment goes missing, she’s instructed to sit still. Though the child attempts to comply, daydreaming repeatedly brings her face-to-face with different animal dads, including a greater rhea bird (who, back matter notes, warms eggs for weeks before they hatch), a giant water bug (who carries eggs on his back), and a Darwin’s frog (who swallows his offspring for safety, then burps them up). While none of the interactions locate the missing item, they do remind Juna of the bond she shares with Appa—a caring connection that helps the pair transcend the day’s stresses. Hoshino’s gentle watercolors work hand in hand with the dreamy elements of Park’s sensitive story. An author’s note concludes. Ages 4–8. (May)

Publishers Weekly

"Gentle watercolor illustrations mirror the text and capture the close and caring relationship that Juna and Appa share, as well as her feelings of vulnerability when she feels she isn't needed. . . This lovely message will resonate with empathetic readers everywhere." — Booklist

"Alight with generosity and familial love." — Kirkus Reviews

"A girl goes on a series of imaginary adventures with unique fathers from the natural world in this captivating follow-up to Juna's Jar. . . Hoshino's gentle watercolors work hand in hand with the dreamy elements of Park's sensitive story." — Publishers Weekly

"As a window into Korean American culture and a reminder of the importance of parents throughout the animal kingdom, this title will be a welcome addition to many collections." — School Library Journal

"A heartwarming tribute to the love between fathers and daughters and its enduring power." — Yangsook Choi, author & illustrator of The Name Jar

"Felicia Hoshino's illustrations show the tender relationship between Juna and her Appa, the power of Juna's imagination, and the delights of the family's dry cleaning business and surrounding community." — Sarah Park Dahlen, Ph. D.

"Not only is this picture book filled with fascinating natural wonders to engage young animal lovers, this riveting, endearing, and honest story can help nurture a sense of common humanity and compassion in children." — Maryam Abdullah, Ph.D., Parenting Director, Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley

CCBC Choices 2023 - Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Charlotte Zolotow Award Commended Title 2023 - Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Junior Library Guild Selection

From the Publisher

08/01/2022

K-Gr 2—Juna's favorite day of the week is usually Saturday, when she can join Appa at their dry-cleaning store. They always end the day eating carne asada tacos at the food truck across the street. But on this Saturday a very angry customer has set both Appa and Juna on edge as they look for the man's missing coat. Even though Juna tries to be helpful, she just seems to get in the way. As she waits for her appa, she is transported to the natural world, where she learns about how animal fathers care for their young. This inevitably makes her think of how Appa takes care of her, bringing Juna and readers back to the shop. Although it is never revealed if the excursions to animal habitats are simply daydreaming or a bit of magical realism, readers will eagerly go along with Juna in her explorations. Detailed watercolors in muted tones add to the magical atmosphere. Back matter includes information about these special father/child relationships and an author's note explains a personal connection to the story. Some readers might be disappointed that the central conflict, a customer losing his coat, is never resolved, but this is a good jumping-off point for group discussion or a writing activity. VERDICT As a window into Korean American culture and a reminder of the importance of parents throughout the animal kingdom, this title will be a welcome addition to many collections.—Louie Lauer

School Library Journal

2022-03-30
While helping at her family’s store, a little girl daydreams of animal adventures that remind her of her father’s love.

Juna loves going with Appa, her father, to his dry-cleaning shop on Saturdays; she enjoys feeling the soft steam of the pant presser and sorting the colorful spools of thread. But when a customer claims his jacket is lost and Juna’s attempts to recover it seem more of a distraction than a service, her imagination takes flight. Conjuring up everything from a giant, nuzzling bird to a water bug that offers a piggyback ride, she realizes parental love comes in many forms. Not wanting her father to worry, the kindhearted heroine offers her own savings for a replacement coat. Her father refuses and, to reassure her, leads her by the hand to their beloved taco truck across the street. Hoshino’s watercolor illustrations, with their soft, dreamlike quality, are perfectly matched to Juna’s musings. Delicate patterning and fanciful play of scale will captivate readers, while the warm glow of the shop brings the Korean American girl’s emotional connection and sense of place to life in this love letter to the mom-and-pop shops that carry the hopes, dreams, and hard work of the families who run them. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Alight with generosity and familial love. (animal facts) (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews