I’m Ok

In the wake of his father’s unexpected death, sixth-grade Korean immigrant Ok Lee (“No one at school says my name right... Say “pork.” Drop the p sound. Now drop the r sound”) is determined to earn money to help his mom, who works three jobs, and “keep alive [his] father’s plan for success in the USA.” Unfortunately, Ok’s money-making schemes—braiding his classmates’ hair, tutoring the most popular kid in class, and learning how to roller skate to win the school talent contest prize—prove less profitable than he had hoped, and in addition, he is often bullied over his name, his appearance, and his traditional Korean food. As Ok and his mother are forced to move into a smaller apartment, Ok feels like he’s failing, and his desperation leads him to lie, steal, blackmail, and betray newfound friends. Debut author Kim, also a Korean immigrant, tells a moving story of family, culture, and growing up, through the eyes of a boy who struggles to fulfill his father’s American dream and maintain his own sense of pride. Ok’s anger and frustration about his father’s death and his mother’s burgeoning relationship with a deacon from their church ring particularly true, as do his ethical and emotional growth. Ages 10–up. [em](Oct.) [/em]