I have the most beautiful, special children's book to share with you today. 

Let's Celebrate Korean New Year!, written by Michelle W. Park, illustrated by Hyewon Yum, and published by Random House, is an absolute treasure. 

With rich intercultural storytelling, Park takes us on a journey of two sisters preparing for and celebrating Korean New Year. From an excited wakeup to donning traditional clothing to ALL THE FOOD (and a recipe!), readers can experience the excitement, joy, and cultural traditions of this holiday.

Park’s clever and relatable storytelling combines well with illustrator Hyewon Yum’s emotive art. The vivid colors, hilarious and apt faces (the stuffies in the bedroom, Madeleine’s very presence, Eloise’s emotions), the beauty and simplicity of the home, and the delicious-looking food definitely brings readers into the home and lives of this family.

I love intercultural books for the world-opening knowledge they bring into our lives. Kids are never too young to learn about global cultures, foods, and celebrations. This book is an excellent addition to your libraries and homes.

I adore these two girls, am grateful to have such a compelling introduction into a family celebration for Korean New Year, and you can bet we are making this family recipe for dumplings for dinner tonight.

Highly, highly recommended!

Michelle W. Park is an Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist who is currently a correspondent at NBC. Let’s Celebrate Korean New Year! is her debut picture book. When she’s not writing or appearing on TV, she loves preparing delicious and nutritious meals for her daughters Madeleine and Eloise. 

We were lucky enough to talk with Michelle and ask her about the book, inspiration, family activities, dumplings, and more! Here’s what she had to say…

Please tell us about your new book, Let's Celebrate Korean New Year!...
Let’s Celebrate Korean New Year! is a colorful and heartwarming introduction to Seollal, or Korean New Year, for young readers and families. It’s about celebrating traditions, food, family, and culture in a way that’s engaging and easy to understand. 

I'm hopeful that it's a useful resource for introducing the beauty of Korean traditions to kids while fostering appreciation for diverse cultures!

What led you to write this incredible intercultural book?
As a Korean-American, I’ve always been passionate about sharing the richness of Korean culture, but the inspiration for this book really came when my older daughter (Madeleine) was 3 years old and in preschool. 

We were the only Asian family there, and I volunteered to do a Lunar New Year presentation for the children. I brought her hanbok, snacks, and started looking for a book to read to the class. But there was nothing that was age-appropriate for Korean New Year, so I ended up ordering a book about Chinese New Year instead.

As I read that book aloud to the class, I remember the moment when I thought to myself, "why am I reading about traditions that aren't even ours? Shouldn't I be able to share what we do on Lunar New Year?"

That day, I went home and decided I needed to write this book. 

How can families and educators utilize this book (and other intercultural resources) in discussions about the Lunar New Year, family, food, and connection?
I really do hope that families and educators are able to spark meaningful conversations about Lunar New Year and the values it celebrates—like family, food, gratitude, and connection. 

Korean New Year, or Seollal, has often been overlooked as other celebrations tend to take center stage, and through this book, I hope we can bring light to the fact that many countries and cultures celebrate this holiday! 

I think families can use this book to explore the holiday’s customs, try the recipe for dumplings together, and engage in hands-on activities that bring the culture to life. We did the craft in my daughter's class and it was incredibly fun to see what everyone came up with!

I love the activity and recipe in the back (thank you!). Do you have tips for including kids in helping to make the dumplings?
Ah! I'm so glad you liked it! Madeleine and I worked on that for a while so we could simplify it because it has the potential to get super complicated! 

I do always include my kids in making the dumplings, from beginning to end. Mixing up all the ingredients is a good way to get the little ones involved and at around 3, they started helping me fold the dumplings. A big thing we said in our house was: "Don’t worry about how they look! They will taste good in any shape!" I wish I could show you some of the early ones, haha!

What's up next for you?
Up next, I’m working on a young reader series that I’m so excited about! It’s about a family of four Korean American girls navigating their place in the world while their second-generation parents try their best not to repeat the parenting styles they grew up with. 

It’s a fun and heartwarming series that explores identity, family dynamics, and cultural connections. At its core, it’s a story about sisters who love and support one another through life’s ups and downs. Alongside that, I’m also developing a few other projects that continue to celebrate culture and storytelling in unique ways. I can’t wait to share more soon!

Where can people find your work?
Find me on TikTok and Instagram at @michellewpark, and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/michellewpark1

About the illustrator:
Hyewon Yum is the author and illustrator of many picture books, including Lion Needs A Haircut and Grandpa Across the Ocean. Her book Saturday is Swimming Day was named a Charlotte Zolotow Award Honor and Mom, It's My First Day of Kindergarten! received the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award. Hyewon was born and grew up in Seoul, Korea. Now she lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her family. Find her online at www.hyewonyum.com, blog www.hyewonbook.com, and on social media at @yumhyewon (Instagram) and @hyewon.yum.96 (Facebook).