Linda Sue Park was raised in suburban Chicago by Korean parents who were in the first wave of immigrants to come to America after the Korean War. Her parents were so determined to assimilate into mainstream American culture that Linda Sue Park learned very little about her cultural background during her childhood. Years later, after world wide travel and a profession as a journalist and a food critic, she was awakened to the richness of her heritage through a collection of Korean folktales she discovered while searching for new outlets for her writing. Consequently, these stories have served as the catalyst for four critically acclaimed historical works, all of which are set in Korea.

Her first book, Seasaw Girl was a Bank Street College of Education’s Best Books of the Year and was listed among the New York Public Library’s 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing. The Kite Fighters was a School Library Journal Starred Review, a Bank Street Book College of Education Best Book of the Year, and was listed among the International Reading Association’s Notable Books for a Global Society. When My Name Was Keoko: A Novel of Korea in World War II, was acclaimed by Kirkus Reviews as “a powerful and riveting tale of one close-knit, proud Korean family” and was named by Publishers Weekly as a best book of the year.

A Single Shard was celebrated by the American Library Association with the John Newbery Medal, and was found on practically every list of distinguished books of the year. Her forthcoming book, The Firekeeper’s Son, will be available in the spring of 2004.
We are pleased to host this distinguished author.

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