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Book Review: King and the Dragonflies

Book Review: King and the Dragonflies
Feb 18, 2021 by Erin Yun

I haven’t read many books this winter. Maybe it’s because I’ve been busy writing or spending time with family. Maybe it’s because winter is hibernation season for me. Whatever the reason, as soon as I started reading Kacen Callender’s King and the Dragonflies, all my excuses flew out the window. I finished the book in one sitting.

Book Review: Stand Up, Yumi Chung!

Book Review: Stand Up, Yumi Chung!
Sep 10, 2020 by Erin Yun

Are you obsessed with Netflix comedy specials? Do you salivate at the mere thought of Korean barbecue? Are you, or have you ever been, a middle schooler? If you answered yes to any of these questions, do me a favor and grab a copy of Jessica Kim’s Stand Up, Yumi Chung!—a delightfully warm, deliciously funny middle-grade novel that is sure to get you smiling.  

Kimchi-Jjigae: A classic Korean stew recipe

Kimchi-Jjigae: A classic Korean stew recipe
Sep 02, 2020 by Erin Yun
Here is my take on a classic Korean stew from my childhood—kimchi-jjigae!

Take Your Book Club Outside!

Take Your Book Club Outside!
Jul 20, 2020 by Erin Yun

Enjoy a book club with your friends outside for a socially distant summer activity!

Learn How To Create Your Own Retelling!

Learn How To Create Your Own Retelling!
Jul 09, 2020 by Erin Yun
The Summer 2020 Reading Theme is  ”Imagine Your Story”, which celebrates mythology, fairy tales, and folktales and encourages young readers to create their own stories.

Meet Jung-Hwa!

Meet Jung-Hwa!
Jun 18, 2020 by Erin Yun
In my debut novel, Pippa Park Raises Her Game, I spent a lot of time thinking about the relationship between Pippa Park and her brother-in-law, Jung-Hwa. Since Pippa often squabbles with her older sister, Mina, I wanted her to have a sweet, strong bond with Jung-Hwa. Going into the first draft, I knew Pippa adored Jung-Hwa as a father figure, but the more I wrote about him, the more I adored him as well.

Book Review: Prairie Lotus

Book Review: Prairie Lotus
Jun 05, 2020 by Erin Yun

Last night, Linda Sue Park was one of many wonderful speakers at the KidLit Rally 4 Black Lives, which was created by Kwame Alexander, Jacqueline Woodson, and Jason Reynolds. Having recently read Park’s latest book, Prairie Lotus (delivered to my apartment by the lovely Books Are Magic) it was so powerful to see her speak about the way Asians, especially East-Asians, can use the “power of white adjacency” to speak up to white people about racism against black people. Read on for my review of Prairie Lotus, and then, if you missed the rally, you can watch the entire event here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=248795633092755.

Erin's Book Playlist for Pippa Park Raises Her Game!

May 28, 2020 by Erin Yun

If you need inspiration while writing, create your own book-themed playlist! Making a playlist will energize you, offering continued inspiration for your story. You can include songs your main character would enjoy listening to and songs representing a specific character or chapter—whatever will get you get closer to your characters and capture the tone of your book. Check out my playlist for Pippa Park Raises Her Game!

Q&A with Pippa Park Author Erin Yun

Q&A with Pippa Park Author Erin Yun
May 01, 2020 by Erin Yun
Why did you become a writer?
There wasn’t a particular reason; it’s just something I’ve always done and always loved. I’ve been writing for longer than I can remember—first, in old notebooks with such terrible handwriting that no one, not even myself, would ever be able to decipher it, and then later, on the family computer whenever I could fight off my siblings for computer time. 

Host a Pippa Park Virtual Book Club!

Host a Pippa Park Virtual Book Club!
Apr 17, 2020 by Erin Yun
Invite your friends and family to join a Virtual Book Club and talk about books for some fun (and educational!) social interaction.

5 Highlights from My First Author Tour

5 Highlights from My First Author Tour
Apr 09, 2020 by Erin Yun
After many nights sleeping in hotels with weird, unidentified sounds, I am officially back to sleeping in my own bedroom with its own weird, unidentified, but familiar sounds. Concerns over COVID-19 canceled events in Texas, Oregon, and California. Hopefully, I’ll have the chance to make it out to those states one day. For now, I’m content to hole up in my apartment for a while. In between reading, writing, and binge-watching new Netflix shows, I’ve had a chance to reflect on all the wild, wonderful bits of my travels. Here are the highlights from my first author tour...
 

Book Review: The Doll People

Book Review: The Doll People
Apr 02, 2020 by Erin Yun

I first read The Doll People by Ann M. Marlin and Laura Godwin when I was in elementary school. So when I was on tour a few weeks ago and the owner of Blue Willow Bookshop mentioned the title to me, a couple bells rang faintly in my mind. But I couldn’t quite put a plot to the name. Then, I saw the cover. Immediately, warm memories rushed back to me. Of course, I thought. How could I forget about The Doll People? How could I forget about green-haired Annabelle or the adventure of being cooped up in a single house? Whether you’re in a nostalgic mood like me or you’re someone who is just now encountering this charming series, The Doll People is sure to win you over.

Print & Play Word Games with Pippa Park!

Print & Play Word Games with Pippa Park!
Mar 27, 2020 by Erin Yun
Need home entertainment for your middle schooler? Play Word Games with Pippa Park!

Book Review: Pie in the Sky

Book Review: Pie in the Sky
Mar 26, 2020 by Erin Yun

Cake has always been one of my favorite desserts. Carrot cake, German chocolate cake, and, of course, the best of the best—birthday cake! In Remy Lai’s Pie in the Sky, the main character Jingwen makes an abundance of cakes. Every single one looked absolutely mouthwatering, but I didn’t have so much as a spoonful of frosting nearby! I’m already looking forward to a reread—and this time I’ll be huddled up in a bake shop.

Book Review: Other Words for Home

Book Review: Other Words for Home
Mar 19, 2020 by Erin Yun

Jasmine Warga’s Other Words for Home was recently named a Younger Readers Category Honor Book in the 2020 Walter Dean Myers Awards for Outstanding Children’s Literature. Told as a prose poem, the book is full of beautiful and powerful language, and readers will find themselves immediately immersed in the life of a young Syrian girl named Jude.

Book Review: I'm Ok

Book Review: I'm Ok
Feb 20, 2020 by Erin Yun
I first read Patti Kim’s I’m Ok about a year ago, and although I wasn’t reviewing any books at the time, I remember being drawn to the book’s quick-witted, relatable voice. Flash forward to last month. The American Library Association named I’m Ok an honor book in the Asian/Pacific American Award for Children’s Literature. With that in mind, I felt it was the perfect time to give this heavy but heartfelt middle-grade book another read.

Mini Movie Reviews: Parasite and P.S. I Still Love You

Feb 13, 2020 by Erin Yun

I am a huge book and television person. However, for whatever reason, I tend not to watch as many movies. But the last two films I’ve watched have been Parasite and To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You, and although polar opposite in tone, both had me thinking: I definitely need to watch more films. And since Parasite just won the Academy Award for Best Picture, I decided to do a double-feature review.

On Sale Today: Pippa Park Raises Her Game + Thoughts on Being a Debut Author

On Sale Today: Pippa Park Raises Her Game + Thoughts on Being a Debut Author
Feb 04, 2020 by Erin Yun
Growing up, I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be an author. Flash forward to now: it is release day of my first book, Pippa Park Raises Her Game. The whole situation feels surreal. Most of the time, I feel like I’m glowing from excitement, but now that the day has come, the nerves have started to set in...

Get To Know Pippa Park!

Get To Know Pippa Park!
Jan 31, 2020 by Erin Yun

Pippa Park Raises Her Game is on sale in five days! So I am sharing five behind-the-book facts about our newest heroine...

Book Review: Spirit Hunters

Book Review: Spirit Hunters
Jan 23, 2020 by Erin Yun

I adore haunted houses. Actually, let me rephrase. While I would never want to go inside a haunted house, I find them fascinating and enjoy researching and watching videos about them from the safety of my own bed. So when I picked up Ellen Oh’s Spirit Hunters while browsing Powell’s Books and saw that it features both a haunted house and a Korean protagonist, I nearly did a little happy dance right there in the store. Korean shamanism plays a role in this book too—something I haven’t seen explored in other horror novels. I wanted this book so badly. Have no fear (ha)—it didn’t disappoint.