By Yoo Kyung Sung, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
The U.S. children’s literature market remains one of the most conservative in embracing international titles, especially when compared to other countries. Many Asian nations publish significantly more translated books from Western countries than the U.S. does in reverse. Short (2018) highlights that while organizations such as the United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) promote global literature through initiatives like the annual Outstanding International Books (OIB) list, translated works still make up only 3 to 4 percent of U.S. children’s book publications. Although this marks an improvement from earlier estimates of 1 to 2 percent, it remains a stark contrast to the 30 to 40 percent typical in many European nations. Even among the international books available in the U.S., English-language titles from countries like the UK, Canada, and Australia continue to dominate (Short, 2018).
Recent data offers some hope. Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp (2025) from Worldkidlit announced that 185 translated books are slated for publication in English in 2025 from languages such as Arabic, Catalan, Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Filipino, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Sinhala, Spanish, Swedish and Ukrainian. Notably, this year marks the translation of three Korean picture books into English: Okchungdang Candy (2025) by Jung-soon Go, translated by Aerin Park; Late Today (2025) by Jungyoon Huh, illustrated by Myungae Lee, and translated by Aerin Park; and The Three-Year Tumble: Based on a Korean Folktale by Dayeon Auh, translated from German (Switzerland) by Tim Mohr. However, this figure shows only modest growth compared to the statistics reported by Short (2018). Despite this progress, little public discourse exists around the limited availability of translated children’s and young adult literature in the U.S.
Okchundang Candy in Korean and English.
In my experience teaching university courses that feature global children’s literature, I often struggle to find international titles in print. Many go out of print quickly, leaving students to rely on used copies. International books seem to occupy a marginal space in the literary world. While American classics like Charlotte’s Web (1952) continue to top reading lists, translated books rarely have the same longevity or visibility in school settings.
Translation as Transformation
Translation is more than linguistic conversion—it often involves a transformation of the narrative itself. Although I haven’t conducted systematic comparisons between original editions and their U.S. counterparts, I’ve noticed interesting changes. Some stories are condensed or altered, and in some cases, culturally or emotionally significant scenes are removed. A notable example is Look Up (2016) written by Jin-Ho Jung, a book whose U.S. edition begins with a girl sitting in a wheelchair on a high balcony. The original version, however, includes a backstory involving a car accident. Without that context, the English edition reads almost like a semi-wordless story, losing a layer of emotional depth.
Emerging Korean Titles in Translation
In recent years, more Korean books addressing historical and transnational themes have been translated and published in the U.S., often through both conventional and unconventional avenues. A new Korean chapter book was recently released in English; Across the Tumen: A North Korean Kkotjebi Boy’s Quest by Moon Young Sook (2013). Korean young adult literature that intersects with global history, particularly involving the U.S., is beginning to gain more visibility in English translation. Graphic novels such as Grass (풀, 2019), Dog Days (개, 2024), and The Naked Tree (기다림, 2023) by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim have reached middle-grade and older readers. These works span historical moments including the Japanese occupation, WWII and the Korean War. While Dog Days tells a more contemporary story about a family’s connection to a pet, it still stands out as a translated work that broadens the scope of Korean literature available in the U.S.
A particularly notable translation is Picture Bride (2023) by Geum-Yi Lee, adapted from its original Korean title Aloha, My Mothers (알로하 나의 엄마들, 2020). Personally, I prefer the original title for its emotional and cultural nuance. Searching for the English title Picture Bride often yields results about unrelated Japanese immigration stories, which can blur the distinct historical narrative this book presents. Nonetheless, the English edition is a meaningful addition to Korean YA literature, connecting early 20th-century Korea under Japanese occupation with the lives of Korean immigrants working in Hawaiian sugarcane plantations. Compared to the early 2000s, when picturebooks were nearly the only Korean children’s titles available in English, the recent growth in translated YA and graphic novels is a promising sign. It is time for U.S. classrooms to expand their study of WWII beyond Europe to include Hawaii and the Pacific.
From the U.S. to Korea: The Reverse Flow
Another exciting trend is the translation of works by transnational Korean authors—originally published in English in the U.S. into Korean and republished in South Korea. These translations are often accompanied by book events and programs that celebrate both the literature and the author’s creative voice. One of my favorite author-illustrators, Hyewon Yum, now has all of her books available in Korean. Similarly, June Hur’s historical fiction, originally written in English, is now available to Korean readers. Titles such as The Silence of Bones (2020), The Forest of Stolen Girls (2021), The Red Palace (2022), and A Crane Among Wolves (2024) have been republished in Korea with titles like 잃어버린 이름들의 낙원 (2025), 붉은 궁 (2023), 사라진 소녀들의 숲 (2022), and 늑대 사이의 학 (2024).
The Red Palace in English and Korean.
Haewon Yum’s Transnational Storytelling
Haewon Yum writes and illustrates stories that blend universal childhood experiences with transnational perspectives. In Grandpa Across the Ocean (2021), a young child visits his mother’s homeland in Korea and gradually builds a meaningful bond with his grandfather. Her earlier works, such as This Is Our House (2013) and The Twins’ Blanket (2011), depict familial relationships and a strong sense of belonging in nostalgic and culturally affirming ways. Even in books she illustrates but does not author, Yum often includes subtle cultural cues that resonate deeply. She frequently integrates Hangul into her artwork when a young character’s first language carries emotional or narrative weight. In A Piece of Home (2016), written by Jeri Watts, the homesick words of a newly arrived Korean boy appear in Hangul. I still remember the emotional clarity I felt reading those Korean words—they captured his sadness more directly than a translation ever could. Another example is Luli and the Language of Tea (2022), written by Andrea Wang, where Yum’s illustrations celebrate translanguaging and linguistic diversity through the shared ritual of drinking tea.
Books Yum has illustrated for Maya Myers, such as Not Perfect (2024) and Not Little (2021), have also been translated and published in Korea. These books introduce U.S. storytelling styles and diverse characters to Korean audiences, expanding how American books are appreciated abroad—not just for their content but for the cultural diversity they reflect.
Not Perfect in English and Korean.
Toward More Inclusive Origins in Children’s Literature
These cross-cultural exchanges, both into and out of the U.S., play a meaningful role in broadening the scope of children’s literature. While there is still much room for growth and continued dialogue, the expanding bridges created through translation offer promising opportunities. They not only foster global connections among young readers but also underscore the value of preserving and sharing stories across languages and cultures (Sung, 2019). The gradual rise of translated children’s literature in the U.S., alongside the growing interest in works by transnational Korean authors, represents an important step toward a more inclusive and globally engaged literary landscape; one that moves against the tide of current sociopolitical challenges in the U.S.
References
Kemp, R. A. (2025). The 2025 List: Children’s and YA Books in Translation. https://worldkidlit.org/2025/01/08/2025-list/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Short, K. G. (2018). What’s Trending in Children’s Literature and Why It Matters. Language Arts, 95(5), 287–298.
Sung, Y.K. (2019). Emerging Trends in Korean-Diaspora and Translated Korean Picture Books. Reading Teacher, 73(4). 399-404.
Sung, Y. K. (2021). 미국 아동 청소년 문학 속 한국/Portrayals of Korean Cultures in Children’s Literature in the US. 창비어린이/Changbi Review. Winter. 157-169.
Children’s and YA Books
Hur, J. (2020). The Silence of Bones. Feiwel & Friends.
Hur, J. (2021). The Forest of Stolen Girls. Feiwel & Friends.
Hur, J. (2022). The Red Palace. Feiwel & Friends.
Hur, J. (2024). A Crane Among Wolves. Feiwel & Friends.
Keum, S. G. (2019). Grass (풀). Drawn & Quarterly.
Keum, S. G. (2024). Dog Days (개). Drawn & Quarterly.
Keum, S. G. (2023). The Naked Tree (기다림). Drawn & Quarterly.
Lee, G. Y. (2023). Picture Bride (Trans. from Korean). HarperCollins. (Original work published 2020 as Aloha, My Mothers / 알로하 나의 엄마들).
Moon, Y. S. (2013). Across the Tumen: A North Korean Kkotjebi Boy’s Quest. Hollym Interna-tional Corporation.
Myers, M. (2021). Not Little (Illustrated by H. Yum). Clarion Books.
Myers, M. (2024). Not Perfect (Illustrated by H. Yum). Clarion Books.
Wang, A. (2022). Luli and the Language of Tea (Illustrated by H. Yum). Neal Porter Books.
Watts, J. (2016). A Piece of Home (Illustrated by H. Yum). Candlewick Press.
Yum, H. (2011). The Twins’ Blanket. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Yum, H. (2013). This Is Our House. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Yum, H. (2021). Grandpa Across the Ocean. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
WOW Currents is a space to talk about forward-thinking trends in global children’s and adolescent literature and how we use that literature with students. “Currents” is a play on words for trends and timeliness and the way we talk about social media. We encourage you to participate by leaving comments and sharing this post with your peers. To view our complete offerings of WOW Currents, please visit its archival stream.
- Themes: Translation, Yoo Kyung Sung
- Descriptors: Debates & Trends, WOW Currents