Hazel and Twig: The Birthday Fortune

Praise

In an enchanting debut, Yu illustrates the special tradition of a Korean baby’s first birthday….The animal characters allow ample room for self-identity, including adoptive and mixed-race families…With very few picture books covering this beloved tradition, this book fills a need—and it will have readers of many cultures craving their own doljabi ceremonies.
—Kirkus Reviews

A debut author-illustrator offers a perfectly charming tale of an older sister preparing for little sister Twig’s first birthday and her doljabi, a Korean tradition in which a baby’s choice from among a collection of objects is believed to indicate clues to her future.
—Buffalo News

Gentle and joyful, the story is a celebration of Korean customs even as, for many readers ages 3-7, it will also serve as an introduction.
—The Wall Street Journal

Yu’s watercolor-and-ink compositions are delicate, imbued with a soft palette of varying shades of green, blue, and brown. Her sweet-faced characters are a joyful mix of gentleness and irrepressibility, a truly irresistible blend.
—Publishers Weekly

A fresh take on the birthday theme and an opportunity to diversify picture-book offerings to include Korean culture (mouse culture is already amply represented in most picture-book collections), this tale is a welcome and genial addition.
—The Horn Book