Books
A Brush with Magic
It’s finally summer break, and twelve-year-old Yumi is headed to Korea with her older sister, Minji, for the very first time. She can’t wait to explore the city of Seoul together—but Minji has other plans. The moment they land, Minji ditches Yumi to hang out with their cousins, who are more fashionable, better at soccer, and all-around cooler than Yumi. Lost and alone, Yumi is stuck at home painting with her grandfather.
Everything changes when she finds an intriguing ink brush in a neighborhood art shop—and she accidentally summons a creature straight out of her grandfather’s retellings of Korean fairy tales. With a new friend by her side and an ink brush that has the power to bring anything she paints to life, Yumi feels unstoppable. From bustling street markets and ancient palaces to riding the subway, Yumi and her friend explore everything Seoul has to offer.
But when the magic takes a dark turn, Yumi must dig deep to hear her own voice and protect the family she loves—even if they don’t always understand each other.
A Spoonful of Time
Maya’s grandmother, Halmunee, may be losing her memory, but there’s something almost magical about the way she cooks. Whether Halmunee serves salty miyeokguk or sweet songpyeon, her stories about Korea come to life for Maya.
Then one day, something extraordinary happens: a single delicious bite of patbingsu transports Maya and Halmunee back into one of Halmunee’s memories. Suddenly they’re in Seoul, and Halmunee is young.
This is just the first of many secrets Maya will uncover: that she and her grandmother can time-travel, and they aren’t the only ones with this ability. As Maya eats her way through the past, her questions multiply—until a shocking discovery transforms everything she thought she knew about family, friendship, loss, and time itself.
A middle grade novel about 13-year-old Maya who discovers she can travel across time through her Halmunee's memories by cooking Korean treats. A reimagined version of The Golden Orchard.
Trailer for A SPOONFUL OF TIME
Reviews
One of School Library Journal’s Best Middle Grade Books of 2023
2024–25 Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Nominee
“Affectionately wrought....evocative descriptions of food and its link to memory carry this light speculative read, which offers up a sweet intergenerational relationship that connects past and present.”—Publishers Weekly
“Beautifully written...the descriptions of the dishes are salivating enough that readers might appreciate the ability to recreate them at home. A warm and satisfying intergenerational story.”—Booklist
“Full of twists, this middle-grade story is a heartwarming mix of food and family.”—Kirkus Reviews
“A charming story filled with recipes.”—School Library Journal
“Readers will love the Korean culture and food references….This is a great time-travel adventure read.”—Book Riot
“This wonderful book combines food and family into a perfectly seasoned story.”—Lelia Nebeker for Northern Virginia Magazine
“This wonderful book [by an Arlington author!] combines food and family into a perfectly seasoned story.”— Lelia Nebeker for Northern Virginia Magazine
The Golden Orchard
Audible Original - A rich, warm, intergenerational time-travel story for ages nine and up.
Maya loves to cook with her grandmother—her Halmunee—to connect with the rich family history associated with each dish, a history Maya's mom would prefer stayed in the past. While cooking with her Halmunee one day, something remarkable happens: the food creates such a strong memory that it physically transports Maya and her Halmunee back in time into the memory itself. As her Halmunee explains, the women in her family have the gift of time travel through food—and Maya can do it too, if she practices. While eating her way through the past, Maya meets Jeff, another young time traveler who brings her to the Golden Orchard, a garden of memories filled with the trees of so many people's lives. Maya learns that time moves in ways she couldn't imagine, and sometimes families keep their memories secret to protect the ones they love.
Pug Pals #1 - Two’s A Crowd
Middle grade chapter book series - book one
Two pugs. One beloved toy bunny. What could go wrong? Sunny's new little sister, Rosy, is getting her paws into everything. When Rosy takes Sunny's favorite toy, Mr. Bunny, and loses him, Sunny is barking mad. But when Rosy sets off on her own to find and rescue Mr. Bunny, Sunny starts to worry. Rosy's never been outside by herself before. Sunny will have to gather all the canine courage she has and go after them -- before Rosy and Mr. Bunny are both lost fur-ever!
Pug Pals #2 - Yay for Vaycay
Middle grade chapter book series - book one
The pugs are packing their bags! Sunny and Rosy's human is going on vacation and it's NO DOGS ALLOWED. But they don't mind -- they're headed to Grandma and Grandpa's house for unlimited snuggles and as many pug snacks as they can eat. But when a mystery animal destroys Grandma's garden, the pugs get blamed. It's all paws on deck to clear their names. If they don't, their pugtastic vacay will be ruined!