A Suitcase of Seaweed

—Claremont Stone Center Recognition of Merit Award (author achievement award)

—a NYPL Book for the Teen Age

—Notable Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies

—William Allen White Award Master List

A Suitcase of Seaweed is my second book, and my personal favorite of my books because I was able to pay tribute to both the Chinese and Korean sides of my family in it, while also talking about “American” me.

I divided the collection into three sections: a Korean section (in honor of my mother), a Chinese section (in honor of my father) and an American section (since I was born and raised in Los Angeles). Sometimes it was difficult to decide where a poem should go, and the determining factor was as small a thing as a certain salty smell. But there was no problem at all deciding where the poem “Face It” belonged. It is about my son, who is Chinese, Korean, German and French. As the poem says, he has my grandfather’s nose, and my husband’s mother’s eyes, but his mouth – his handsome, sweet-talking, big-talking mouth – truly belongs to him alone!

“Wong was born in America of Chinese and Korean heritage,
but the basic subjects she addresses in neat stanzas of free verse
aim at the heart of any family, any race.”
– School Library Journal

“Neat, well-turned poems, monologues, and aphorisms . . . The imagery is choice, the thoughts pointed and careful, the vocabulary attractive: In many of the pieces comedy and delicacy mingle in a single line.”
– Kirkus

Look for the new, expanded version A SUITCASE OF SEAWEED & MORE, an NCTE Poetry Notable!

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Buy it at QEP