I am the Director/Teacher of students ages 2 to 5 in a multicultural preschool program, Beginnings, at Calvary Episcopal Church. I am also one of a team of teachers in an English as a Second Language Class for adults at the church, many of whom are parents of the children in our preschool. A large percentage of students in both settings are from East Asia.

Lost Names, Scenes from a Korean Boyhood, by Richard Kim, is a novel about the life of a young boy and his family in Korea during the time of the Japanese Occupation (1932-1945). It is framed as a series of chapters. In each chapter, the boy, as narrator, describes an encounter he and/or his family members had with the Japanese. Writing in first person, the boy describes each event, but also provides information about his family and his community and his own interpretation of what is happening. As the boy grows in age and maturity, his observations and understanding of what is happening around him increases and more detail is revealed.

This book really engages the reader in the story. Through the boy, the author vividly describes everyday life in the small rural town under the occupation. Although the book is not long, the characterizations of his parents, his classmates, his teachers and the soldiers are well drawn.

I enjoyed reading the book. I agree that it would be suitable for secondary students. It would also be useful in providing the teachers of students from Korea with background knowledge and insight into some of the history of the relationship between Korea and Japan. Because of my own limited knowledge of this period and the nature of the material, I would not see this as an appropriate book for discussion in our English as a Second Language class.

I currently teach this book to a 12-grade World literature course, and I find it to be an effective teaching tool within the classroom.

Historically, it pairs well and accurately with primary source documents and other documentaries. Each chapter goes through a different scene from a Korean boyhood and that scene can be linked with a number of different works. For example, if you take a look at the curriculum plan I've also attached to the EAGLE website, you will see a number of resources. For example, in the chapter "Crossing" The narrator's father is described as a rebel against the imperial Japanese, and there are a number of documents supporting the existence and success of rebels like him.

As a narrative, it is easy to follow and excellent read mostly because it is written from the perspective of a child. Through this perspective, it is easy to grasp on themes such as 'loss of innocence' - for both the narrator and the Korean nation. Each chapter is an individual, so the students have an easy time following the text and discussing it in smaller 'chunks.' I've grown to prefer novels that are organized in this fashion because the students do not feel overwhelmed by the text, characters, plot.

The book offers an excellent addition to a World War II unit or one on imperialism. Quite often this side of the Second World War is ignored and Richard Kim's narrative offers both emotional voice, as well as historical.