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Table of Contents
About The Book
Fresh Off the Boat meets Junie B. Jones in this adorable chapter book series following Mindy Kim, a young Asian American girl—in this tenth novel, Mindy honors the fall harvest with the Korean mid-autumn holiday Chuseok.
After Mindy’s beloved haraboji (grandpa) passes away, Mindy, Dad, and Julie decide to go to Korea to be with family for the annual Chuseok celebration. The traditional mid-autumn festival is all about family and honoring one’s ancestors. And while everyone has gathered for a very sad reason, Mindy is determined to make her first official Chuseok one to remember.
After Mindy’s beloved haraboji (grandpa) passes away, Mindy, Dad, and Julie decide to go to Korea to be with family for the annual Chuseok celebration. The traditional mid-autumn festival is all about family and honoring one’s ancestors. And while everyone has gathered for a very sad reason, Mindy is determined to make her first official Chuseok one to remember.
Excerpt
Chapter 1
Chapter 1
My name is Mindy Kim, and today started like any other day. I got up from bed, and my dog, Theodore the Mutt, wagged his tail and yawned. The sound he made was so cute!
“Good morning, Theodore!” I said, and patted him on the head.
I went to the bathroom like I always did in the morning. As I was in there, I heard the phone ring.
When I came out, though, it was quiet. Usually, either Dad or my stepmom, Julie, is already up. But this morning, no one was there in the hallway to say, “Good morning, Mindy!”
Holding my breath, I walked over to my parents’ bedroom and leaned against the door. Dad and Julie were whispering in their room. I couldn’t hear exactly what they were saying, but I could tell it wasn’t anything good.
I bit my lip and looked at the doorknob. I wasn’t sure if I should open the door or not! I looked down at Theodore, who wagged his tail again, but more slowly this time. He looked like he was encouraging me, so I reached out and opened the door.
Dad was sitting on his bed, clutching his phone with both hands. He was turned away from me, so I couldn’t see his face, but his shoulders were shaking. Was he crying?
Julie stood beside him with her hand resting on his shoulder.
“What’s wrong, Appa?” I asked softly, saying the Korean word for “Daddy.”
Dad turned to look at me but just shook his head. Julie took me by the hand and led me out of the room.
After closing the door behind us, she gently placed her hands on my shoulders, took a deep breath, and said, “We got bad news from Korea, Mindy. Your grandfather passed away. We just found out. I’m so sorry.”
My heart dropped to my feet. Just last week I’d called my grandpa and grandma. They had both seemed so healthy and happy!
“But how?” I asked. My voice came out quiet and small. “Was there an accident?”
Julie shook her head. “Thankfully not, but sometimes people your grandpa’s age die suddenly. The doctor said it was a heart attack.”
Tears welled up in my eyes, but I wiped them away as soon as Dad came out of the room. I didn’t want him to see me cry! Grandpa was his dad, so I couldn’t even imagine how sad he was. Seeing me cry would only make him even sadder.
He reached toward us, and Julie and I hugged him tight. We stayed there for a while, holding him steady as he shook from head to toe.
Chapter 1
My name is Mindy Kim, and today started like any other day. I got up from bed, and my dog, Theodore the Mutt, wagged his tail and yawned. The sound he made was so cute!
“Good morning, Theodore!” I said, and patted him on the head.
I went to the bathroom like I always did in the morning. As I was in there, I heard the phone ring.
When I came out, though, it was quiet. Usually, either Dad or my stepmom, Julie, is already up. But this morning, no one was there in the hallway to say, “Good morning, Mindy!”
Holding my breath, I walked over to my parents’ bedroom and leaned against the door. Dad and Julie were whispering in their room. I couldn’t hear exactly what they were saying, but I could tell it wasn’t anything good.
I bit my lip and looked at the doorknob. I wasn’t sure if I should open the door or not! I looked down at Theodore, who wagged his tail again, but more slowly this time. He looked like he was encouraging me, so I reached out and opened the door.
Dad was sitting on his bed, clutching his phone with both hands. He was turned away from me, so I couldn’t see his face, but his shoulders were shaking. Was he crying?
Julie stood beside him with her hand resting on his shoulder.
“What’s wrong, Appa?” I asked softly, saying the Korean word for “Daddy.”
Dad turned to look at me but just shook his head. Julie took me by the hand and led me out of the room.
After closing the door behind us, she gently placed her hands on my shoulders, took a deep breath, and said, “We got bad news from Korea, Mindy. Your grandfather passed away. We just found out. I’m so sorry.”
My heart dropped to my feet. Just last week I’d called my grandpa and grandma. They had both seemed so healthy and happy!
“But how?” I asked. My voice came out quiet and small. “Was there an accident?”
Julie shook her head. “Thankfully not, but sometimes people your grandpa’s age die suddenly. The doctor said it was a heart attack.”
Tears welled up in my eyes, but I wiped them away as soon as Dad came out of the room. I didn’t want him to see me cry! Grandpa was his dad, so I couldn’t even imagine how sad he was. Seeing me cry would only make him even sadder.
He reached toward us, and Julie and I hugged him tight. We stayed there for a while, holding him steady as he shook from head to toe.
About The Illustrator
(c) Dung Ho
Dung Ho (pronounced Dzung) is the illustrator of the New York Times bestselling picture book Eyes That Kiss in the Corners, Eyes that Speak to the Stars, Me and Ms. Too, The Mindy Kim books, and many others. Born and raised in Hue, Vietnam, she worked in the design and advertising industries before discovering a great passion for illustration and picture books and becoming a freelance illustrator. She lives and works in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.
Product Details
- Publisher: Aladdin (September 26, 2023)
- Length: 80 pages
- ISBN13: 9781665935791
- Ages: 6 - 9
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- Book Cover Image (jpg): Mindy Kim and the Mid-Autumn Festival Hardcover 9781665935791
