The One Thing You'd Save

Starred review from January 25, 2021
In a classroom, teacher Ms. Chang poses a premise: “Imagine that your home is on fire. You’re allowed to save one thing./ Your family and pets are safe, so don’t worry about them./ Your Most Important Thing. Any size.” The students respond—some share, others contemplate privately—traversing a wide terrain, including the practical (“MY DAD’S WALLET. DUH”) and deeply personal remembrances. One child reflects silently about their “total dump” of a home (“Be glad to see it burn down”), while another secretly recalls escaping an actual burning building: “The only thing you worry about saving is your own sorry skin.” Readers may not realize that the volume is a collection of poems until they read Park’s closing note, which explains her inspiration: traditional Korean sijo verse, which consists of three lines of 13 to 17 syllables and is sometimes broken into six shorter lines. This relatively flexible structure creates a rhythmic variety of declarations, reflections, interjections, and occasional dialogue employed throughout, complemented by Sae-Heng’s gray-toned, sketchlike illustrations. While each child’s voice isn’t entirely distinct, the class’s camaraderie and caring spirit comes through clearly, poised to inspire thoughtful classroom discussion. Ages 8–12.

Starred review from July 1, 2021

Gr 3-7-"Imagine that your home is on fire. You're allowed to save one thing. / Your family and pets are safe... / Your Most Important Thing. Any size." With that, Ms. Chang challenges her class to name their Most Important Things. "For once we got good homework," the kids respond. Newbery Medalist Park uses a 14th-century Korean poetic form, sijo, to share the students' choices, which reveal much about them. A full cast, led by Nancy Wu as Ms. Chang, energetically embody the young, diverse voices whose things to save prove to be practical (phone, wallet), beloved (saved-up-to-purchase sneakers), sentimental (Gran's hand-knit cardigan made from Dad's unraveled sweater), and inspiringly altruistic (Mom's insulin). Even Ms. Chang shares a revelation at the assignment's end. The recording concludes like a classroom roster, with each of the 16 narrators reading their own names aloud alphabetically-showcasing a veritable who's who of youthfully cast veterans including Maxwell Glick, Kirby Heyborne, Jorjeana Marie, and Ariadne Meyers. VERDICT Less than half an hour long, Park's delightful latest beckons to even the most reluctant readers; pair with the printed title to simultaneously experience the whimsical illustrations by Robert Sae-Heng.-Terry Hong, Smithsonian BookDragon, Washington, DC

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