"Nim and the War Effort" by Milly Lee, Illustrated by Yangsook Choi

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Bibliographic Citation

Title: Nim and the War Effort

Author: Milly Lee

Illustrator: Yangsook Choi

Year of Publication: 1997

Publisher City: New York

Publisher: Frances Foster Books

ISBN: 0374355231

Author Website: No Author Website

Illustrator Website: http://www.yangsookchoi.com/

Media Used for Artwork: Oil Paint

Awards

·         American Library Association’s Notable Book

·         International Reading Association’s Notable Book for a Global Society

·         International Reading Association’s Book Award Winner

·         New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year

·         California Young Reader Medal

Annotation

Nim is in competition with the rest of her class to collect newspapers for a paper drive to support the soldiers of World War II.  But the competition isn’t as important as Nim realizing that she is a Chinese-American.

Personal Reaction

                Older readers will appreciate this book because it is discusses more than a paper drive at school.  There is another level that discusses racism and identity.  That fact that Nim’s classmate, Garland Stephenson, says “This is an American war…and it’s going to be an American who wins the contest…not some Chinese smarty-pants,” speaks volumes about what many Chinese-Americans must have endured during that era.  And sadly, this is something many people must endure even today.  This book is a good tool to bring up the effects on racism.

                In addition to the issue of racism, identity is another.  Nim lives in a household filled with Chinese tradition and she is also an American.  Throughout the picture book she must attempt to find a balance between the two.  Again this can be used as a discussion point if this book is read in a group.

                The use of oil paint is really interesting.  I love how Choi has added grains along the illustrations.  It adds a texture so that they aren’t completely flat.  It adds realism to the illustrations so that readers can connect with Nim and her journey.  It also adds an aged quality showing that this story is set in the past and also how Nim’s culture is focused a great deal on ancestors and tradition.