A Step from Heaven - Softcover

Na, An

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1481442368 ISBN 13: 9781481442367

Publisher: Atheneum Books, 2016

Synopsis

From master storyteller An Na comes the Printz Award-winning novel about a Korean girl who tells her firsthand account of trying to find her place and identity in America from the day she leaves Korea as a child to her rocky journey through the teenage years.

At age four, Young Ju moves with her parents from Korea to Southern California. She has always imagined America would be like heaven: easy, blissful, and full of riches. But when her family arrives, she finds it to be the opposite. With a stubborn language barrier and cultural dissimilarities, not only is it impossible to make friends, but even her family's internal bonds are wavering. Her parents' finances are strained, yet her father's stomach is full of booze.

As Young Ju's once solid and reliable family starts tearing apart, her younger brother begins to gain more freedom and respect simply because of his gender. Young Ju begins to lose all hope in the dream she once held--the heaven she longs for. Even as she begins to finally fit in, a cataclysmic family event will change her idea of heaven forever. But it also helps her to recognize the strength she holds, and envision the future she desires, and deserves.

About this title

Review:

'A dazzlingly written, heartbreaking story of a girl who defies tradition to ask for help to reclaim her life and that of her mother.'Readings Monthly, April 2002'I enjoyed reading this book because you get an inside look at a different culture and it can make you understand what others go through to fit in.'Jaffa, aged 14, Victoria REACT'Na's writing is remarkable this charming novel is wholly engaging.'ViewpointSpring 2002'a skilfully modulated work of fiction and an exceptional read'Sunday AgeMay 2002

About the Author:

An Na was born in Korea and grew up in San Diego, California. A former middle school English and history teacher, she is the critically acclaimed author of The Fold, Wait for Me, the National Book Award finalist and Printz Award-winning novel A Step from Heaven, and The Place Between Breaths. She lives in Vermont.

About this edition

• Publisher: Atheneum Books
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1481442368
• ISBN 13: 9781481442367
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 160