Outside Mom, Inside Mom

by Jane Park, Lenny Wen (Illustrator)

Overview

A moving, lyrical picture book ode to codeswitching about a young Korean American child who must reconcile the outgoing, confident mother they see at home with the mother who is shy and reticent outside the house.

When a young Korean American boy goes to a new school, he catches himself acting differently, shy and uncomfortable in the new environment. To his surprise, he notices his mom doing the same thing!

Outside Mom wears plain, practical clothes. Inside Mom loves her sparkly shirt. Outside Mom is quiet and likes to listen. But Inside Mom is full of stories and jokes! But when does Inside Mom come...outside?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781665929509
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Publication date:	03/11/2025
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	10.30(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Jane Park is a former schoolteacher and an award-winning media producer. Her own fond memories of playing with empty kimchi jars inspired her to write Juna’s Jar. She’s also the author of picture book Outside Mom, Inside Mom. Jane’s always up for a good adventure, especially ones that involve her kids and their jars. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family.

Lenny Wen is an author and illustrator who was born in Indonesia. She is the illustrator of several picture books, such as Cal Everett’s Halloween Is Coming!, Amy Robach and Andrew Shue’s Better Together!, Jackie Azúa Kramer’s Empanadas for Everyone, and Jane Park’s Outside Mom, Inside Mom. Lenny currently lives in Austria. When she is not illustrating or writing, you might find her staring at the trees, contemplating story ideas, reading books, filling up her cup with coffee, or hugging her dog.

Editorial Reviews

"Offering a thought-provoking lesson in perception, Park has crafted a balanced and sensitive look at an immigrant family’s experience, delightfully lightening her energetic narrative with moments of comedy. Wen deftly uses cooler colors to portray scenes of Outside Mom while employing a warmer palette for the expressive and boisterous Inside Mom.
Warm, insightful, and tender."

Kirkus Reviews

2024-11-23
A child of Korean descent realizes that not everyone sees things the same way.

Nervous about starting a new school, the young narrator dons sneakers rather than a favorite pair of eye-catching red shoes (“I want to fit in, not stand out”). Mom understands; she’s eschewed a sparkly top today. At school, the child notices that others have very different conceptions of Mom. “Your mom is so quiet,” another parent says. “Your mom is so serious,” says Principal Pat. The child charmingly debunks each observation. “Outside Mom” may be quiet, but “Inside Mom” is anything but. While many see Mom as a serious, down-to-earth, rigid presence, a different side of her emerges: a chatty, prank-loving woman who once bravely uprooted her life to emigrate to a new home. The young protagonist can relate, soon withdrawing after feeling uncertain in this unfamiliar classroom: “I become quiet…Like an Outside Me.” But Mom reassures the child, who in turn cherishes those few moments when Inside Mom reveals herself outside the house, such as when they meet up with friends. Offering a thought-provoking lesson in perception, Park has crafted a balanced and sensitive look at an immigrant family’s experience, delightfully lightening her energetic narrative with moments of comedy. Wen deftly uses cooler colors to portray scenes of Outside Mom while employing a warmer palette for the expressive and boisterous Inside Mom.

Warm, insightful, and tender.(Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews