SORA'S SEASHELLS

In her grief, a child finds new meaning in a cherished activity.

Sora’s Korean grandmother, Halmoni, visits every summer. One of their favorite activities is finding shells on the beach. Sora observes as Halmoni collects a beautiful shell and leaves it on a bench before they leave. When they return the next day, they find that the shell is gone. Halmoni explains that the shell “wasn’t ours. It was a gift.” A puzzled Sora reacts by filling a jar with shells she hides for herself. Weeks later, Sora starts kindergarten and struggles with classmates who mock her name. Tragedy also strikes as Halmoni suddenly passes away. The family mourns by taking a trip to the coast. There, her mother explains that Halmoni had named her Sora (Korean for seashell) because “finding a perfect shell is like receiving a wonderful gift.” The illustrators deftly layer shadows and blurs boundaries between colors, evoking the feeling of a warm memory. The gently paced narrative reveals Sora, now understanding her grandmother’s words, bringing her jar of shells for show and tell. After explaining her name, she gives each classmate a shell, changing a few minds in the process. As her own tribute, Sora places her last shell on the same bench. Sora is biracial; her mother is Korean, and her father is White. Her classmates are diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A tender tale of loss and love.