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PREPARING FOR NEW YEAR. Younger sister Eloise is clearly irritated with her older sister’s frenetic pace in Let’s Celebrate Korean New Year!

From The Asian Reporter, V36, #2 (February 2, 2026), page 10.

By Michelle W. Park

Illustrations by Hyewon Yum

RH Children’s Books, 2024

Hardcover, 32 pages, $14.99

By Jody Lim

The Asian Reporter

Let’s Celebrate Korean New Year!, a picture book by author Michelle W. Park and illustrator Hyewon Yum, is aimed at children from preschool through third grade. My nephew, now a second-grader who is improving on his reading skills, actually read to me several Lunar New Year books this year.

On the first page, we meet elder sister Madeleine, who is excitedly waking up her younger sister — "Wake up, Eloise! It’s Seollal! We have to get ready for the Lunar New Year party!"

Madeleine is excited; Eloise is clearly not — "It’s too early."

Madeleine takes Eloise and readers through the traditions of the day — "First, we need hanboks." Hanboks, which are worn during festive occasions, consist of a long, full skirt and a top with long sleeves. Eloise asks her sister to show her how to tie the fancy ribbons into a perfect bow. "‘No time!’ said Madeleine, racing off."

Downstairs, the girls’ mother had put out a charae-sang, a ceremonial table covered with decorations and food — persimmons, oranges, apples, and more. Eloise reaches for an orange, but Madeleine says, "Not now. We have to make the mandoo."

"Watch me," says Madeleine, as she fills a "dumpling wrapper with a mixture of pork, glass noodles, garlic, scallions, and soy sauce" their mother had prepared the night before, then folds the mandoo ever so delicately.

Eloise’s attempts to make mandoo frustrated her — she ripped the dumpling wrapper then added too much filling. Madeleine takes over — "Let me do it." "But I can learn," Eloise replies. "Maybe next time," her elder sister says.

By now (if not earlier!), readers see a trend and fully feel Eloise’s irritation. My nephew was visibly annoyed.

The frustration continues when their mother offers them a freshly fried mandoo to eat. "We have to set up yutnari [a traditional board game] before everyone gets here," says the elder sister.

Family and friends soon arrive. "Annyeong haseyo" — a formal way to say hello — says their father. And also, later, "Sehaebok mani badeuseyo" — Happy Lunar New Year.

But Madeleine is unhappy. Eloise asks why. Says Madeleine, "I forgot the poem! I write one every year …"

The sisters put their heads together and readers get to witness some of the true reasons for Lunar New Year celebrations.

At the end of the book, there are also some small bonuses — a glossary, Lunar New Year activities, and a mandoo recipe (picture above!). Michelle W. Park has created a great introductory book about the Korean New Year, which is accompanied by Hyewon Yum’s delightful colored pencil illustrations.