A SKY OF PAPER STARS

When her wish to fit in goes wrong, Yuna tries to make it right by folding 1,000 paper stars so she can make another wish and set things right.

Feeling out of place as the child of Korean immigrants at a predominantly white American school, Yuna remembers a legend that her halmoni shared: “If someone gathers 1,000 paper stars in a jar…that person can make a wish on the stars…and it will come true.” Yuna folds her thousandth star and wishes her family could return to Korea, where she might finally belong. The next morning, she learns that Halmoni has passed away, and just as she wished, her family will be traveling to Korea. Yuna also discovers that her right hand has turned to paper. As the paper spreads to her forearm, she becomes convinced that she must fold another 1,000 paper stars to bring Halmoni back—and avoid turning entirely into paper. This is a quiet and deeply moving story of intergenerational love and sacrifice. The narrative uses different fonts to indicate Korean, English, and internal thoughts, while varied color palettes effectively distinguish Yuna’s memories and those of other family members from present-day scenes. These memories create a remarkably rich and clear depiction of Halmoni and the complexity of Yuna’s feelings toward her, despite the time and space that separated the two.

An affirming exploration of belonging and a testament to the power of family stories.