The narrative of this book was created by Patti Kim, who emigrated from Busan in Korea to the United States. Like the boy in the story, initially she felt alone and scared but gradually she settled into her new life.

The metaphor here is a seed, which the boy brings with him as a precious memory of home. He loses this magic seed, eventually recovers it and shares it with another child – who then becomes his first real friend.

The boy’s rollercoaster of emotions is well portrayed in the loose and fluid illustration style of Sonia Sánchez.