03 Mar / Echoes of the White Giraffe by Sook Nyul Choi [in What Do I Read Next? Multicultural Literature]
Sookan, the protagonist from Year of Impossible Goodbyes, is now a teenage war refugee living in Pusan, South Korea, with her mother and younger brother, having escaped bombed-out Seoul. In spite of her difficult surroundings, she manages to find hope, forging new friendships, especially with one special young man in particular.
The lyrical title comes from the name of a fellow refugee who lived on the mountain one over from Sookan’s temporary home. Baik Rin, whose name meant “White Giraffe,” would shout a greeting each morning to his fellow war refugees. Ill and alone, he dies quietly, and is mourned by the refugees who continue to hear the echoes of his morning cheer.
Review: “Asian American Titles,” What Do I Read Next? Multicultural Literature, Gale Research, 1997
Readers: Middle Grade, Young Adult
Published: 1993