A suitcase of seaweed and other poems

A suitcase of seaweed and other poems by Janet S. Wong is a collection of poems reflecting on the author’s life as an American of Korean and Chinese heritage. The poems illustrate the effect differing cultures have on a young person while growing up in yet another culture. The poems are divided into Korean, Chinese, and American sections. The author’s mother is Korean and her father is Chinese. At the beginning of each section the author tells a little about her parents. She talks about herself in the American section. Food is the basis for most of the poems in the Korean and Chinese sections. The American section mainly reflects on family life in America with Korean and Chinese influences.

The author uses free verse to create a collection of poems that allow reflection on multi-cultural family life. The author divides the book into three sections to maintain focus on one culture at a time. The poems are simple, short and concise, telling about life in that culture. The American part expresses how the author combines the two cultures that are her parents into her American culture. Illustrations are only at the beginning of the sections allowing the reader to create his own visual interpretation of the poems. This book leaves a sense of strength with the reader.

I would recommend this book for students in grades 3-7.

Keywords: culture, customs, Korean, Chinese, heritage