Where's Joon?

by Julie Kim

Overview

"Kim's story is absolutely enchanting, but her stupendously vivacious illustrations prove even more memorable. Amplifying details immediately stand out from the first pages"--Terry Hong, Shelf Awareness

Where's Joon? is the highly anticipated sequel to Where's Halmoni?, the bestselling, award-winning debut by Julie Kim.

In this graphic novel picture book, Julie Kim beckons readers once again into a colorful, fantastical world filled with "jaw-dropping art" (School Library Journal), plenty of humor, and multilayered storytelling that illuminates the immigrant experience of traversing two worlds, both cultural and generational.

Jin is helping Halmoni in the garden for her birthday celebration, but where's Joon? Besides the big mess in the kitchen, Jin and Halmoni see no signs of Joon anywhere. Where could he have gone?
 
Luckily, Halmoni has a hunch. She sends Jin on an errand through her magical portal into the wondrous world of Korean folktales with its dazzling landscapes and curious characters.  In this land of enchantment, Jin and Joon meet familiar friends and foe before reuniting to embark on a new mission to fix Halmoni's magic pot.
 
This beautifully illustrated graphic novel picture book is filled with delightful visual Easter eggs and includes Korean language as one of its story-telling tools that is reader friendly at all levels. In the back are illustrated translations of Korean text and further reading on the original Korean folktales that have inspired Julie Kim's books.

Another captivating and timeless book from Julie Kim, Where's Joon? is a beguiling tale about children's courage to face their fears and how love makes everything possible.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781632176219
Publisher:	Blue Star Press
Publication date:	01/06/2026
Sold by:	Penguin Random House Publisher Services
Format:	eBook
Pages:	120
Age Range:	5 - 9 Years

About the Author

JULIE KIM is an author and illustrator living in Seattle, WA. She is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, and has mainly done illustration work for various trade, educational, and nonprofit book publishers as well as for children's magazines. Where's Halmoni? was her debut book as author/illustrator and Where's Joon? is the sequel.

Editorial Reviews

★ "Rich in folklore, comedy, and color, a riotous and pleasurable treat."
—Kirkus Reviews, starred

★ Kim's story is absolutely enchanting, but her stupendously vivacious illustrations prove even more memorable. Amplifying details immediately stand out from the first pages: the rice maker found in virtually every Asian American home, the well-used kitchen towel hanging slightly askew, the melding of Western/Korean architectural aesthetics. Kim imbues every scene with infectious energy, inviting readers to join in the clever challenges to bring the family safely back together.
—Terry Hong, Shelf Awareness, starred

"The graphic novel picture book sequel to the bestselling “Where’s Halmoni?” by Seattle author Julie Kim came out in October with gorgeous art, humor and a story about the immigrant experience of traversing two worlds."
—Seattle Times

"A lovely and lively sequel and perfect companion to Kim’s first inventive and immersive expedition traversing two cultures."
—Booklist

"This very non-apologetic bilingual nature of the stories is healing to read."
—AsianLitforKids

"Kim infuses her novel with strikingly beautiful landscapes, warm character illustrations, and the nostalgia of childhood curiosity transports audiences straight into the storybook. Her genuine enthusiasm towards her craft is undeniable and shows in every page, making “Where’s Joon?” a celebration of love, family, and Korean-American experiences."
—The Daily

"Jaw-dropping art with vibrant colors."
—Imagination Soup


"A dynamic interweaving of full- and half-spread illustrations and paneled passages highlight Kim’s masterful execution of this bilingual tale."—Little Village Mag

From the Publisher

★ 2023-07-13
The Korean siblings introduced in Where’s Halmoni? (2017) encounter a new conflict and some fantastical familiar faces.

Jin is alarmed by the mess in the kitchen, and her younger brother, Joon, is nowhere to be found. Her grandmother Halmoni uses magic to investigate and, using her magical door handles, sends Jin through a window to the world of the first book to deliver rice cakes to Halmoni’s friend Jo-harabuji. Halmoni mentions Joon will probably be waiting there for Jin. Jin, equipped with a door handle that will return her home, as well as some smarts from her previous foray into the magical land, sets out. Meanwhile Joon, who needs help repairing Halmoni’s beloved cooking pot, knows exactly where he’s going with his own door handle and reunites with his friend Tokki, a spunky rabbit. Hilarity ensues as characters from Korean folktales are portrayed with dynamic expressions amid a whimsical backdrop of colorful mountain ranges and roaring rivers. Joon and Tokki struggle to fix Halmoni’s pot while Jin looks for Joon, outfoxes a familiar trickster tiger, and delivers rice cakes. Kim deftly balances all of the characters and their evolving goals as the siblings inadvertently reunite spirit friends and bring Halmoni fortuitous cooking alternatives. Korean dialogue is interspersed throughout the panels of this graphic novel, with translations and guides to folktales following the story.

Rich in folklore, comedy, and color, a riotous and pleasurable treat. (Graphic fiction. 7-10)

Kirkus Reviews