The adult reading the book didn't understand the story. Very disappointed in this one. Not worth the time or energy.

I absolutely loved "Where's Joon?" by author/illustrator Julie Kim. Like the prequel, "Where's Halmoni?" there are so many small details of Korean folklore and culture packed into the illustrations. The character's are also adorable. Halmoni, Jin (aka Noona, or big sister), and Joon are so relatable. The siblings support each other rather than dragging each other down, which is so nice to see, and Halmoni provides a guiding presence for her grandchildren. Highly recommended!

A book I think I should have been able to enjoy, but one that proved just far too weird for its own good. The story and the presentation both contribute to that, and while I can drop hints and advice about the latter, the former is just there for the bonkersness of it. This features a child worried about breaking a pot, but he shouldn’t worry, as when the goldfish passes on a message to his gran the family can reunite through making their own trapdoor-shaped wormholes from one place to another, and avoid a hungry tiger, and encounter the world’s most miserly man, and so on and so forth.

A lot of this (including of course the talking, rice-eating rabbit’s contributions) is still in Korean, but we don’t know until we come to the end there is a translation provided – but why we are left in the dark about this until hitting the last pages, and probably forced to read it all a second time, is beyond me. Also at the end is some kind of justification, saying how this bit refers to that traditional Korean legend, and how that was lifted from there, and suchlike. All that might ease the reader into these pages if they’re made aware in advance, but it doesn’t really help the cockamamie randomness of much of this. I mean, I would have thought myself a prime audience for such story-appropriating junior read fantasies, but this really seemed, in content and approach, to be best suited for the Korean audiences who would have known more and understood more about it from the get-go. As such it’s three stars – and no, none of the stars have traipsed up or down through a rapidly-created trapdoor into another corner of the world...

What a beautiful graphic novel that combines family, Korean mythology and a beautiful illustration.

Where's Joon? It is a graphic novel that introduces us to a girl who goes on a journey in search of Joon who apparently got into trouble.

It is very interesting how they relate the story of the search and the children's return to their grandmother ("Halmoni") with myths and different Korean elements. Plus it has dialogues written in Korean (you can find the translation at the end)! I feel that it is an ideal book to learn Korean (if you are studying) and to learn about Korean culture.

Without a doubt, it is an interesting story because of how the children go from one place to another, facing adversity.

Thank you Sasquatch Books for the copy I read on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lots of fun! Just as much fun as the first one. It's a great introduction to Korean language and folklore. Definietly recommend.

Though I enjoyed this book, I must say that all of the references that have been given in the last of the book by author, said to from Korean folktales, were in reality from Indian Jatak-tales which were translated in multi-languages over the world.
Most of the Jatak-tales were translated and adapted as retellings in Aesop tales also. These were the moral stories to let people knew about society they live in and to learn about the different characters of people in the world. Told with the façade of animals these stories written long before even 434BC.

Well, coming back to the reviews, this picture book depicted very well on the subject of moral education with the touch of wittiness, in this retelling, having many tales clubbed together. To know how Jin & Joon went on an adventure staged by their grandmother (pronounced in Korean as 'Halmoni') and what they did on that journey is worth reading.

For stories: 5.0
For wrong original references for the folk-tales: 3.0 (Deducing 2.0)

I really enjoyed the first book (Where's Halmoni?) but to be honest, I found myself confused at the end of that one. I definitely think Where's Joon? wrapped up in a way that felt more complete, which I enjoyed. As an American-born Korean, my reading skills are not the best, but the text was large and there wasn't a ton of hangul throughout, so I found it manageable without having to flip back and forth between the glossary at the end and the text itself.

Thank you Netgalley for lending me this book. The pictures are very good and attractive. The story is about a grandmother who is looking for where Joon is. Some Korean vocabulary and Korean writing appear here. it's fun learning new things, calm down even though there is Korean, there is a translation on the back of the book.

Joon and Jin help halmoni, with the added bonus of beautiful illustrations. I adore the lucky pot and fish friend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

this was an absolutely adorable graphic novel / picture book filled with beautiful illustrations as well as a representation of korean culture.
perfect for all english/korean bilingual children, as well as children currently learning korean.

the publisher kindly provided this arc through netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

*Review by US-based, non-Korean speaker*

Beautiful cover and lovely hand drawn illustrations in this Korean culture- and language-based graphic novel. I'm sure this book will appeal to many Korean children who are bilingual English/Korean, or those whose families may want them to learn more written Korean language, as well as folk stories and myths from Korea. It will also appeal to all children looking to learn about other cultures. This book is longer, at ~120 pages, and would probably target children in 3-6th grade, or possibly older, depending on their Korean language skills.

The book is based on Halmoni (a young girl) and her brother, Joon, and their grandmother. Joon is missing and grandmother sends Halmoni to fetch him. Along the way Halmoni and Joon have various adventures that are inspired by 4 Korean folk tales/myths described in English at the end of the book. The book is written primarily in English, but has a fair amount of Korean language included, and a graphic dictionary at the back to decode the language. I think you can read the book and understand most of it with what is written in English.

I think it is important that more cultures are represented to children of all heritages in the US, for purposes of education, global cultural appreciation, and acceptance. For those reasons, I applaud books like Where's Joon, that don't dumb down a single thing, but instead produce a beautiful and culturally authentic children's book. Publication date 10/10/23.

Thank you, Little Bigfoot, an imprint of Sasquatch Books, and NetGalley, for providing an eARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

@lbfbooks #lbfbooks @netgalley #netgalley

This was the cutest and most fun little graphic novel I have seen in my entire life.
Absolutely everyone should read it.