New Clothes for New Year’s Day by Hyun-Joo Bae.

Entrancing illustrations and a poetic but accessible text make this one quite a gem.  A young Korean girl is celebrating the new year with new clothes.  Readers follow her excitement as she puts on each piece of the traditional dress.  This may sound like a slow-moving book, but the eagerness of the character and her struggles to dress herself make it very friendly.  It is a book that easily removes barriers and examines cultural dress. 

The illustrations are at once both traditional and modern.  The young girl is pictured in a fresh way as she struggles to dress, while traditional patterns make up the background of many of the illustrations.

A wonderful New Year’s read, this is a friendly and accessible book on Korean dress and culture.