The life she endures in her adopted country is far from heavenly, however. After the birth of her baby brother, she realizes that he is valued more than she by her family�s culture. Her parents discover that moving to America does not assure instant wealth, and they continue to live in poverty, just as they did in Korea. Most horrific of all, though, is the cruel abuse the entire family suffers at the hand of Young Ju�s alcoholic father.
Young Ju tells her own story, which opens with a memory of her first visit to the ocean at the age of two: �No. Stop. Deep water. Go back.� (p. 9) Her perceptions deepen as she grows older, and the narrative reflects her maturation through young womanhood. An Na�s stream-of-consciousness style of writing evolves from the fragmented impressions of a baby to the insightful musings of a teen. The same memory is transcribed later in the book when Young Ju is 18: �How scared I was of the waves, of what might be out there.� (p. 151) Traditional sentence format and punctuation are abandoned in many cases to emphasize the immediacy of what Young Ju experiences.
Young Ju�s adolescent struggles are compounded by the demands of the two worlds she inhabits. At school, she assimilates American culture, makes friends, and earns the highest GPA in her class. At home, she is expected to speak Korean and submit herself to the domineering authority of her father. Whereas many teens are embarrassed by their parents, Young Ju is so acutely humiliated by her home life that she lies to her best friend about her family and where she lives.
Young Ju�s story reveals the unique struggles that immigrant families face, but it also exposes the isolation, shame, injury, and heartache that family violence breeds in any culture. The courage that Young Ju drew upon to intervene in her own family may be a source of empowerment for young readers living the same nightmare. The universality of her struggles will find an appreciative audience of young adults. As a review in Booklist (June 15, 2001) observes, �the coming-of-age drama will grab teens and make them think of their own conflicts between home and outside. As in the best writing, the particulars make the story universal.�
Awards for A Step From Heaven
ALA Notable Books for Children
Booklist Editor�s Choice
Michael L. Printz Award
New York Times Notable Books of the Year
School Library Journal Best Books of the Year
Relevant Websites
Front Street Books:
http://www.frontstreetbooks.com
An interview with An Na:
http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/auth-illAnNa.htm
Sources
Books in Print [database online]. Available from http://www.booksinprint.com. Accessed via TWU Library 10 September 2004.
Front Street, Inc. 2004. Front Street books for children and young adults. Available from http://www.frontstreetbooks.com. Accessed 13 September 2004.
School of Library and Information Studies
TEXAS WOMAN'S UNIVERSITY