Soomi's Sweater

Susie Oh spent her early years wrangling goats and chickens in rural South Korea before boarding a plane for a new life in New York. One of her first memories of the city was a pilgrimage to the iconic library on Fifth Avenue: guarded by two marble lions, it was a temple to books. Susie loved books before she knew a word of English; she loved the tactile rustling of pages, the rhythm of the spoken word, and most of all, she loved the art. Susie studied illustration in college while volunteering in the America Reads program. She now teaches English as a New Language. With her passion for art, storytelling, and teaching, Susie hopes to create books that help early readers develop their own communication skills.

Silver medal winner of the 2020 Key Colors Illustrators Competition!“(…)The artwork features expressive faces, highly simplified forms, textured effects, and a limited palette of rich colors. Whether presenting Soomi’s predicament or her emotional responses, the story is written with a good understanding of a child’s point of view. A promising picture-book debut for Oh, a Korean American author-illustrator, and a good choice for reading aloud.” - Booklist"This story is so cute and is great for young children dealing with emotions. The art style is colorful and really allows Soomi's sweater to pop. I loved the language when Soomi's friends tried to help fix the sweater. A great addition to any library." - Bucks County Free Library"Soomi has a new sweater which quickly turns into a little problem. She's eager to wear her new sweater to school until a thread unravels and she ends up with a hole. This was such a cute story. I love that Soomi's friends all try to help her solve her problem, but eventually she needs more help than they can offer, and mom shows her how to fix it. The illustrations are super cute. I really loved them. I think Soomi's meltdown might have been my favorite drawing. She's a whole mood. I definitely recommend this adorable book." - Gilbert Public Schools"Soomi loves her brand new sweater and is so excited to wear it even though it's still quite big on her. Insisting on wearing it anyway, it unfortunately gets damaged at school. Soomi's friends have ideas, but, in the end, Mom shows her how to make it better than new.This is a sweet story of resilience and kindness. Soomi's friends try hard to help her and her mother shows her how to fix a problem and even find a way to make things better. Not only does Soomi have a great new sweater, but she's surrounded by love and support. It's such a positive message for kids.The illustrations are big and bold and will help kids connect to the story. There are some great expressive words in the text to help build vocabulary. This would be a good group or individual read and is perfect for pre-K and early elementary kids.Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!" - BookWorks