Lady Hahn and Her Seven Friends

by Yumi Heo, Yumi Heo (Illustrator)

Overview

Lady Hahn is a seamstress, and her seven friends are the tools she uses to sew—Mrs. Ruler, Newlywed Scissors, Young Bride Needle, Young Bride Red Thread, Old Lady Thimble, Young Lady Flatiron, and Little Miss Iron. When Lady Hahn's friends start boasting about how important they are, Lady Hahn turns her back on them. But it's not long before she realizes how much she needs her friends as every one of them contributes in an important, special way.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781466808904
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	04/10/2012
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	17 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Yumi Heo was born and raised in Korea, where she studied graphic design. She came to the United States in 1989 and received an MFA in Illustration from New York City's School of Visual Arts. She is the author and illustrator of many books, including Father’s Rubber Shoes, The Green Frogs: A Korean Folk Tale, and Lady Hahn and Her Seven Friends. She lived in White Plains, New York.

Editorial Reviews

The question “Which is the greatest of all?” is oft-pondered in folklore, and it takes center stage in this retelling of a Korean tale. Seamstress Lady Hahn and her special sewing tools—aka her seven friends—work in concert to craft fine shirts and skirts. But who among the eight is most essential to the operation? Is it Mrs. Ruler, who measures the silk? Old Lady Thimble, who takes care of Lady Hahn’s thumb? The friends make their cases for why they are most important (“Ho, ho, ho! Poor Needle,” boasts Young Bride Red Thread. “Without my thread you cannot accomplish anything”), breaking up the team and throwing Lady Hahn’s business into disarray. But harmony is soon restored, with Lady Hahn gaining a new appreciation for her friends. Heo’s (Polka Dot Penguin Pottery) cheerfully hued oil-and-pencil compositions possess the careful detail of an expertly stitched garment, with tiny shapes and patterns arranged just so. Her humorous personifications of the sewing implements amplify the playful fantasy elements of the story and the feisty personalities of its protagonists. Ages 4–7. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

…the story of wanting to feel needed and appreciated will resonate with young audiences.” —Horn Book

“Heo's clear oil and pencil art is appealing, with skillful use of color to balance the compositions and engage viewers.” —School Library Journal

“Heo's (Polka Dot Penguin Pottery) cheerfully hued oil-and-pencil compositions possess the careful detail of an expertly stitched garment…” —Publishers Weekly

“A Korean story from the late 19th century is the basis for this irresistible teaching tale about cooperation, respect for tools and sewing.” —Kirkus

“Blending collage, pencil and oil paint, Heo creates an animated landcape with strong visual and auditory impact. . . . Heo mixes in her own refreshing brand of eccentricity and serves up artwork that is festive and fun.” —Publishers Weekly on One Sunday Morning

“Reminiscent of Margaret Wise Brown's series of noisy books, this hums with energy and offers plenty to hear and behold.” —Booklist on One Sunday Morning

From the Publisher

K-Gr 2—Lady Hahn is a tailor who relies on her seven personified sewing tools—Mrs. Ruler, Newlywed Scissors, Young Bride Needle, Young Bride Red Thread, Old Lady Thimble, and Young Lady Flatiron—to get her work done. One day the tools get into a boasting match, with each one claiming to be the most important. Lady Hahn overhears them and becomes angry since they would all by useless without her hands. Their feelings are hurt and they hide. Without them, Lady Hahn is unable to accomplish anything. After she begs them to return and acknowledges that they are all equally important, harmony is returned. The story, based on a late 19th-century classical Korean essay, is rather pedantic, and even children who are familiar with sewing won't recognize all the tools portrayed. However, the flat storytelling is counteracted by accomplished illustrations. Heo's clear oil and pencil art is appealing, with skillful use of color to balance the compositions and engage viewers. Traditional Koran shapes and patterns are woven throughout each spread without becoming overwhelming or busy. Larger libraries with robust multicultural collections or those serving Korean populations should consider this title, but for most it will be an additional purchase.—Anna Haase Krueger, Antigo Public Library, WI

School Library Journal