No Kimchi for Me!

July 3, 2017
Yoomi, a small black and white cat, enjoys most of her grandmother’s cooking—“dried seaweed, tiny anchovies, soft egg omelets... even her seasoned bean sprouts”—with one exception: “Yoomi does not like stinky spicy kimchi!” Older brothers Jun and Yoon label Yoomi a baby and freeze her out of playing with them; Yoomi takes matters into her own paws, trying dollops of kimchi atop pizza and ice cream, but Grandma swoops in with a better idea: a not-too-spicy kimchi pancake. Using pencil, pastel, and digital manipulation, Kim (Cat on the Bus) creates a crisp and cozy domestic environment for her cat family; the story takes place against the backdrop of a rainy day, perhaps accounting for some of the high-running emotions. Yoomi’s brothers’ taunts and the specificity of her food aversion will be familiar to many readers (especially younger siblings), as will Yoomi’s drive to prove that she’s the “big girl” Grandma knows her to be. A kimchi pancake recipe is included, as are delectable endpapers showcasing kimchi varieties and ingredients. Ages 3–7. Agent: Erica Rand Silverman, Stimola Literary Studio.

Narrator Greta Jung's voice is warm and child friendly. Her pacing is steady. As the story opens, Jung's voice radiate empathy for Yoomi, a youngster who loves almost everything her grandmother cooks except kimchi. When Yoomi shares her dislike of it, her older brothers' taunts of "baby, baby!" and their refusal to let her join in a big-kid game carry all the bite of older siblings' disdain. Yoomi, however, soldiers on defiantly and implements her own plan. Listeners will appreciate the story's repetitive phrasing as Yoomi tries kimchi with pizza, chocolate chip cookies, and ice cream. The production concludes with notes about kimchi and a recipe for kimchi pancakes. A.R. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine