THE FIREKEEPERS SON- Linda Sue Park

Park, Linda Sue. 2004. THE FIREKEEPER’S SON. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN: 0-618-13337-2
Summary:
Sang- hee watched his father go every night to light the fire that started all the fires to let the king know all was well in the land. Sang – hee loved playing with his soldiers and knew if the fire was not lit the king would send the soldiers to fight. When father hurts his ankle and can get up the hill to light the fire, Sang – hee must go in his place. Sang- hee wonders if he didn’t light the fire would the soldiers come, after finding no threat that “maybe not all them would be angry… I could show him the beach… After that he might teach me a little about sword – fighting.” Sang – hee knows he must light the fire and with only one coal left he starts the fire. The author’s note explains about the bonfires and how it was recorded to work in 1800’s the time in which this story is set.
Analysis:
I believe the cultural markers for The FIREKEEPER’S SON comes from the story itself , that is rich in history. The story that is based on a historical tradition of lighting the bon fires in the 1800’s to let the king know that all was well. Additional cultural markers are from the illustrations rather than the use of Korean words in the text, food, or celebrations. The soft watercolor and pastel illustrations revealed the Korean style clothing and hair styles of the people in the village and the soldiers as the reader sees in the flames. The setting of the story is a village with mud and wood huts with a few cows, chickens and dogs in the dirt street, set at the foot of the mountain and next to the sea. The father is seen with his straw on his back and holding a handmade rake while his son plays with toy soldiers on the ground. A quiet and simple life style is seen through the illustrations. The story addresses a young boy and his struggle to do the right thing or do something selfish.
Sang – hee is faced with his desire to see the soldiers as he thinks, “If there is no fire, the soldiers will come. They will be angry when they find no enemies here.” But as a young boy he thinks “maybe – maybe not all of them will be angry,” and he can show them the beach and learn how to use a sword. It is a conflict that he must work through. Will he do what he desires or what is best for the village? As Sang – hee lights the fire and watches the flames “he saw a great battle- soldiers, their shining swords clashing…” Sang – hee does the right thing and somehow father knows he struggled with his decision. Father says “When I was a boy, I too wished the soldiers would come.” The author’s note explains the story is a simplified version of the signal fires and additional information about the mountains and provinces that gives the story authenticity.
Reviews/Awards:
Booklist 02/01/04 Library Media Connection 10/01/04
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 04/01/04 Publishers Weekly starred 02/16/04
Horn Book 10/01/04 School Library Journal 05/01/04
Kirkus Review 02/15/04 Wilson's Children 10/01/10

Booklist (February 1, 2004 (Vol. 100, No. 11))
K-Gr. 3. Park, who won a Newbery Medal for her novel A Single Shard (2001), tells a picture-book story set in Korea in the early 1800s about a young boy in a remote village who suddenly finds himself serving his country. At sunset Sang-hee's father always climbs the mountain and lights a fire that signals to another firekeeper on the next mountain to light his fire, and so on, all the way to the mountain at the palace of the king, who knows from the fire signals that all is well in the land. Then one evening Sang-hee's father breaks his ankle, and the boy must keep the light burning. Downing's handsome, watercolor-and-pastel double-page pictures personalize the history, showing realistic close-ups of the child, who plays soldiers and dreams of the excitement of battle. In contrast are the panoramic views far across the country as the boy tends the flame that preserves peace from mountain to mountain. Add this to those lighthouse stories about the brave child who must take over for adults.

Horn Book (Fall 2004)
Each night Sang-hee's father lights the mountaintop fire that begins the chain of bonfires informing the king that no enemy boats have been seen. When his father is hurt, Sang-hee must take his place. Aptly capturing a young boy's point of view, this well-written story, set in nineteenth-century Korea, is accompanied by handsome if somewhat romanticized illustrations.

Kirkus Review (February 15, 2004)
Drawing once again on her heritage, Newbery Medalist Park tells a tale rooted in the history of Korea. Centuries ago-and through the 19th century-the lighting of fires apprised the king of the safety of his country. Darkness warned of trouble. When Sang-hee's father is injured, Sang-hee must climb the mountain with the brass pot of hot coals to start the fire that signals all is well. The first night Sang-hee contemplates whether or not he should light the fire-after all, if he does not, the soldiers will come and he would like to see the soldiers just once. In the end both Sang-hee and his father are proud that Sang-hee has become a trustworthy fire-starter as his father and grandfather were before him. Even in the darkness the watercolor illustrations glow with vibrancy. The cover illustration is especially striking: Sang-hee bright-eyed at the orange-and-yellow fire flickering before him. A lovely telling that will bring readers back to read or hear this story one more time. (Picture book. 5-9)


Connections:
This book could be used for first grade.
This is a good book to start discussions on responsibility. What does it mean?
The signal fires is a way of communicating, what are other ways we communicate today?
Writing Activity: Change the ending. What if Sang-hee had not lit the fire?
Social Studies/Science- Locate Korea on the map. Research the history of the country.
List other uses for fire.