Book Description
for Behind the Mask by Yangsook Choi
From The United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY)
Korean theater traditions meet American Halloween customs in this story about Kimin’s discovery of the perfect trick-or-treat costume. Search ing through his grandfather’s boxes, he finds a frightening white-eyebrowed, white-bearded mask and family photos of his grandfather, who was a famous mask dancer in Korea. By dressing as a Talchum dancer, Kimin connects to his grandfather and his Korean heritage and informs his friends about it. Whimsical illustrations, masks on the endpapers, and a note on traditional Korean mask dance illuminate the descriptive text. Bank Street Best Chil
Originally published in Korean as Haraboji ui t`al by K`ureyong Hausu Seoul, in 2007.