Il Sung Na – illustratör

A 2026 Notable Social Studies Trade Books Award Winner Giving Thanks with Halmoni is a heartwarming picture book that introduces young readers to the rich traditions of Chuseok, Korea’s harvest moon festival.As the moon grows fuller each night, Su-Jin’s halmoni (grandmother) prepares for the biggest Korean holiday of the year—a time for family, gratitude, and remembrance.Eager to share the celebration, Su-Jin invites her friends Maddy and Keisha to help Halmoni get ready. Together, they prepare traditional foods, wrap gifts in colorful cloth, play festive games, and learn how to honor ancestors. Along the way, the girls discover how to wish each other a happy Chuseok in Korean and explore the connections between Korean and American Thanksgiving traditions.With vibrant illustrations by Il Sung Na and storytelling by Kathleen Choi and Sook Nyul Choi, this book beautifully captures the spirit of Chuseok and the joy of cultural exchange. A touching tale of friendship, identity, and belonging, it’s perfect for readers ages 4–7 and families looking to celebrate heritage and gratitude together.

When Sophie and her two Jack Russell terriers move to Boston, she's excited not to be the only brown kid in the neighborhood anymore. She instantly likes the quirky teenager named Juno next door and her pug, Bonney. But not everything's easy. Her classmates make fun of her Vermont overalls. The upstairs neighbor hates barking. And Bonney needs surgery that Juno's family can't afford.  So Sophie and Juno invent the Barking Puppy, the first ever newspaper written “by dogs” and “for dogs.” Will anyone else get how funny it is? And more importantly, can they sell it to raise enough money in time to save Bonney? Will the landlord kick Sophie and her mom out before they even get started? Don't miss this first edition of a doggone great series and find out for yourself!

Fans of Jeanne Birdsall’s The Penderwicks and Karina Yan Glaser’s The Vanderbeekers will be delighted by the Barking Puppy series.  When Mr. O’Connor moves in across the street from Sophie and Juno, the writers of the Barking Puppy newspaper, they immediately butt heads. He hates dogs and wants the neighborhood to be more "upscale." That includes closing the beloved neighborhood school. Will Sophie and Juno be able to keep their school open and bridge the gap between new and old neighbors with an all-out, colorful Dog Circus Block party?