Asia

Materials from Asia

The King’s Secret: The Legend of King Sejong

Chosun Dynasty had a wise King Sejong. When a humble servant boy tells of his longing to read and write, King Sejong sets out to create a simple yet beautiful way to write the Korean language. The people reject the new way of writing–until the boy gives the king another grand idea.

My Freedom Trip: A Child’s Escape from North Korea

The story of a young girl’s escape from North Korea, based on the life of the authors’ mother.

Tasty Baby Belly Buttons

Urikohime, a girl born from a melon, battles the monstrous oni, who steal babies to eat their tasty belly buttons.

The Boy of the Three-Year Nap

A poor Japanese woman maneuvers events to change the lazy habits of her son.

Magic Spring

Once upon a time, in a small village in Korea, there lived a childless old couple. They worked hard and lived good, simple lives, wanting only a baby to love and care for. But their rich, greedy neighbor sneered at their patched-up clothes. And when he saw the old man chopping wood he’d taunt him: “Ha! Old Man, where is your son to help you?”

Then one day, a mysterious bluebird leads the old man to a magic spring that makes him young again. But that’s only half the magic, as the miraculous power of the spring brings justice to the greedy neighbor, and a child for the couple from the least likely place of all.