Julie Kim's enchanting Where's Halmoni? introduced older sister Jin (also called Noona, or big sister in Korean), younger brother Joon, and their Halmoni (grandmother), whose home contains a magic portal into a mythical world of Korean folktales come to life. The trio returns in Where's Joon?, to experience another visually spectacular adventure, enhanced by Kim's bilingual exposition.
"Halmoni! I can't find Joon ANYWHERE," Jin calls from the porch to her grandmother in the garden. "And there's a HUGE mess in the kitchen," she warns. Once inside, after confirming the confusion, Halmoni gets a call--not via the phone on the counter, but from her piscine messenger circling their vibrating fishbowl. Halmoni knows exactly what to do: before sending Jin to the magical other side, she must arm her tenacious granddaughter with enough rice cakes to appease Jo-harabuji, the hangry old man whose help Jin will need to bring Joon home.
Kim gleefully repeats the success of Where's Halmoni? by seamlessly integrating her own adaptations of "memorable Korean folktales and myths" that celebrate honesty, ingenuity, generosity, and perseverance. Throughout her main text, she blends both English (for the Korean American family) and untranslated Korean (for the mythical creatures they encounter). At story's end, a "What did they say?" double-page spread clearly reveals all that was expressed. Kim's story is absolutely enchanting, but her stupendously vivacious illustrations prove even more memorable. The author/illustrator imbues every scene with infectious energy, inviting readers to join in the clever challenges to bring the family safely back together. --Terry Hong, BookDragon