Binna's Dalgona

Binna introduces her friends to a sweet Korean treat in this charming picture book about finding the right words in a new language

Binna’s finally starting to feel like she’s not a baby—she can read long books in English, beat her older sister at word games, and she can make dalgona by herself. But when she tries to tell her classmates about her weekend and the sugary, sandy treat she made . . . well, the English doesn’t come to her easily.

Not being able to say what she wants is crushing. 

But with her sister's encouragement and the support of her classmates, Binna finds the right words (and snack) to share about her life in Korea.★ "A heartfelt and honest look at the emotional challenges of starting over in a new place . . . Kim-McCarthy’s authentic voice makes the story feel deeply personal, while her art enhances understanding of Binna’s journey in a way that is emotionally powerful . . . A beautifully told and illustrated story about resilience, identity, and the power of encouragement. A thoughtful addition to classrooms and libraries alike." —School Library Journal, starred review

"Using expressionistic artwork marked by visual metaphors, Kim-McCarthy cleverly captures the protagonist’s difficulties. Crossed-out words and arrows in Binna’s speech bubbles convey the child’s confusion . . . Keenly aware of the challenges many young immigrants confront, Kim-McCarthy makes clear that even seemingly small snafus can take a great emotional toll. The narrative comes to a satisfying conclusion . . . A delightfully gentle tale of navigating language barriers." —KirkusSojung Kim-McCarthy is a Korean-British children’s book author-illustrator based in Dorset, UK. She was brought up on stories in a family of artists, writers, actors, TV & musical directors. After studying VisComm (BFA) at Hong-ik University, she worked as a designer-in-chief for a leading children’s magazine as well as a children’s art and design educator. Binna’s Dalgona is her debut picture book and was inspired by her own experience of moving from Seoul to the UK.