Jin Woo - Hardcover

"Bunting's sensitive writing tells of Jin Woo's arrival from David's point of view, infusing the story with childlike sensibility and humor. . . .Soenpiet's watercolors are suffused with light and perfectly capture the characters' expressions" School Library Journal

Among the prolific Bunting's many talents is a propensity for distilling complex social issues into accesible picture books that begin to make subjects such as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, adult illiteracy, and homelessness more understandable to younger children. This picture-book exploration of the arrival of an adopted Korean baby named Jin Woo is the second collaboration by Bunting and Soentpiet (So Far From the Sea, 1998) and as a Korean adoptee himself, the talented Soentpiet is particularly well-qualified to illustrate this one. Jin Woo's story is told in the present tense from the viewpoint of the baby's older brother, a six- or -seven-year-old named David, who is also adopted. He is alternately sad, hopeful, unbelieving, and excited at this change in his life, which is an accurate portrayal of the whirlwind of feelings that surround any new big brother. David's parents are understandably thrilled with their joyous emotions captured in both Bunting's text and in Soentpiet's detailed, realistic paintings. His large-format illustrations are the book's main strength, surpassing Bunting's serviceable story, which is not as compelling as some of her other picture book texts. There are some wonderful recent books on inter-country adoption (notably Rose A. Lewis's I Love You Like Crazy Cakes, 2000), but very few that focus on the mixed feelings of older siblings. This will find a ready audience with many adoptive families, especially those preparing to adopt Asian babies.
Kirkus Reviews

Jin Woo is the baby that's coming from Korea to be adopted by David's family, but David's not sure how he feels about having a little brother. The night before Jin Woo's arrival, the family goes to a Korean restaurant. The next day, they pick up the baby at the airport, where David gets to hold the chubby, happy child. When his mother reads him a comforting letter "written" by Jin Woo, David feels things will work out after all. The story's climax comes when David decides to give his brother the duck mobile that spins over his bed. However, the pictures make David look at least seven; a mobile at that age seems a bit bizarre. Otherwise, the art is the high point of this solid piece of bibliotherapy. It has a photographic clarity that makes these characters real enough to touch, and adorable Jin Woo looks eminently huggable. A solid choice for adoption shelves, especially for those looking for material on international adoption.
Booklist, ALA