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Title details for A Brush with Magic by Flora Ahn - Available

A Brush with Magic

by Flora Ahn
ebook
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1 of 1 copy available
A heartfelt, magical middle grade adventure—inspired by Korean folklore and set in modern-day Seoul—about sisterhood and belonging, perfect for fans of Kelly Yang and Janae Marks.
What if an ancient ink brush, oceans away in Korea, could unlock long-buried family secrets? 
It’s finally summer break, and twelve-year-old Yumi is headed to Korea with her older sister, Minji, for the very first time. She can’t wait to explore the city of Seoul together—but Minji has other plans. The moment they land, Minji ditches Yumi to hang out with their cousins, who are more fashionable, better at soccer, and all-around cooler than Yumi. Lost and alone, Yumi is stuck at home painting with her grandfather. 
Everything changes when she finds an intriguing ink brush in a neighborhood art shop—and accidentally summons a creature straight out of her grandfather’s retellings of Korean fairy tales. With a new friend by her side and an ink brush that has the power to bring anything she paints to life, Yumi feels unstoppable. From bustling street markets and ancient palaces to riding the subway, Yumi and her friend explore everything Seoul has to offer. 
But when the magic takes a dark turn, Yumi must dig deep to hear her own voice and protect the family she loves—even if they don’t always understand each other.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    October 22, 2024

  • Formats

    • Kindle Book

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9781683693215

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9781683693215
      • File size: 3250 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Kirkus

      Starred review from September 15, 2024
      A California girl makes an unexpected friend during a summer abroad visiting relatives in Seoul. Twelve-year-old Yumi is taking her first trip to South Korea, her parents' homeland, along with her 16-year-old sister, Minji. Yumi hopes the trip will help the sisters be close again, but she soon feels left out when Minji leaves her behind to explore with their teenage cousins. Forlorn, Yumi spends her days with Harabujee, her beloved grandfather, who teaches her brush painting, tells her Korean fairy tales, and shares old memories of Yumi's mom's childhood. One day, Yumi goes to a neighborhood art store, where she finds an unusually beautiful brush. But when she brings it home and tries to paint with it, a dokkaebi, or Korean goblin, emerges. At first it seems that Dodo, the goblin, will alleviate Yumi's loneliness. She shape-shifts into Yumi's look-alike, makes paintings come to life, and leads her on adventures through the city. But Dodo's erratic behavior soon has Yumi wondering whether she can trust her, while simultaneously allowing her insights into Minji's own feelings about growing up. Apt details of contemporary Korean life are woven naturally throughout the narrative, and the well-rounded characters are welcome representations of the diversity of modern-day Korean youth. Fantastical elements are seamlessly woven into this engaging, entertaining story. Park's charming brush painting-style spot art adorns the text. A universal coming-of-age tale becomes extraordinary through an encounter with Korean folk magic.(Adventure. 8-12)

      COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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