THE NAME JAR

Choi, Yangsook. The Name Jar. New York: Knopf Books For Young Readers, 2001. ISBN 0375906134.

PLOT SUMMARY:
A young girl, Unhei, moves from Korea and goes to school in America for the first time. When the students on the bus can't pronounce her name and tease her, Unhei debates choosing an American name. The other students give her a name jar and put suggestions in the jar. A young boy, Joey, befriends Unhei, and ultimately Unhei decides to keep her Korean name.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
A beautifully poignant story that all children can relate to. As virtually every child has had their name made fun of, or have wished they had a different name, children of every descent will appreciate Unhei's debate over choosing a new American name. Unhei experiences what most children do in school when they are new; some children make fun or her while others befriend her. The students in her class want to help her choose a new American name and put suggestions into a name jar.

Readers get a window into Unhei's world as we see her Korean home, with her mother's cooking, her traditional furnishings and decorations, and see her missing her grandmother who is still in Korea. Unhei's grandmother had given her a name stamp with her Korean name on it. Unhei's name, meaning Grace, was given to her by a namemaster, and she uses the stamp whenever she misses and thinks of her Grandma. Unhei goes to a Korean store, meeting storeowner Mr. Kim, who helps her to realize the important significance of her name. Her new friend, Joey, also helps Unhei to appreciate her name as he chooses a Korean name and has a name stamp made as well. When Unhei announces to her class that she has chosen her Korean name, she teaches the students and her teacher how to pronounce it, and her new friends happily learn how to say it.

Yangsook Choi's illustrations are colorful, soft, and illuminate the story. The Korean stamps look like actually inked stamps, and the skin tones, eyes, and hair color of the children and other family members are realistic and truly portrayed. On the bus and in the classroom, students of many different skin tones and backgrounds are represented. The Korean market that Mr. Kim owns combines the modern technology of a computer with the Korean signs and boxes of food. The glass of the name jar shines and each name inside stands out as precious choices. As Unhei looks into the name jar to imagine her possibilities, her eyes are full of wonder and the reader can feel her debating her choices.

When students suggest she close her eyes to draw a name from the jar, Ralph points out, "What if she doesn't like the name she draws?". Rosie counters with, "Well, we didn't get to choose our names when we were born did we?". This statement has the students debating their names. This is something all of us can relate to whether we like our names or not.

This story is a great introduction into another culture, and one that all readers will benefit from. If students have a classmate with an unusual name, they will want to learn how to pronounce the name and find out the significance of it.


REVIEW EXCERPTS:

Horn Book Guide:
The sensitively told story is illustrated with warm paintings that portray Unhei's multicultural urban neighborhood and school.

Booklist:
The paintings are mostly in gold and earth tones, and the figures have both stature and simplicity--as does the story.

School Library Journal:
Attractive golden endpapers feature random repetitions of the stamp imprint interspersed with her classmates' handwritten suggestions on scraps of torn paper. The bold, bright paintings that illustrate the story are realistic, warm, and appealing.

Kirkus Review:
Choi draws from her own experience, interweaving several issues into this touching account and delicately addressing the challenges of assimilation. The paintings are done in creamy, earth-tone oils and augment the story nicely.

CONNECTIONS:

* Ask students if they have ever thought of changing their name. Ask them what name they would choose if they could. Put all of these names into a name jar (one for boys and one for girls) and then have the children choose a name from the jar. Have the students use these names for a day.

* Ask students if they've ever had their name made fun of. Talk about how it made them feel. Use the discussion so students can see the harm of making fun of someone.

* Have students ask their parents about the origin of their name. Were they named after someone? If they were named after someone, was it a relative? If so, is the relative living? Find out which cultures or heritages often name children after deceased relatives. Use online sources to look up meanings of their names.

* Try to find the Korean name that is closest to student's given names. What does the Korean name mean? Have students try to draw the Korean name. Make a name stamp, either with student's given names or with their Korean equivalent.