Sometimes a reader comes across a book they never knew they needed. Then, all of a sudden, the stars align for a moment and they realize what a breath of fresh air that book provides. That’s how I felt with Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business!

(I tried to get a picture of my dog sitting with the book, but it didn’t quite work out. My cat decided to stand in instead.)

Mindy Kim has so much in common with today’s 7-year-olds. She’s a new student at a school across the country from where she grew up. Her mom passed away, and her dad is adjusting to life as a single parent. She wants to own a dog, but her dad keeps putting her off.

One thing that sets her apart, though, is her unusual (for Florida) lunch of seaweed and other Asian treats.

Mindy reminded me of myself at that age. My mom moved to the US from Japan and barely spoke English when I was a child. She was hesitant to teach me her native language because she feared my peers would tease me. We regularly shopped at Asian stores for familiar foods, though, and we still shop there when I visit home. Fortunately, I grew up in a very culturally diverse area, so eating seaweed wasn’t unusual with my friends!

When my daughter was a toddler, she immediately loved seaweed. She and my mom bonded over making sushi (my daughter’s favorite food). It has been a precious way for them to share a connection.

I loved how Mindy kept a positive attitude despite her uncertainty about her new school, making friends, and unfamiliar teachers. She takes a tough situation and uses it to develop an entrepreneurial spirit! Anyone who ever tried to sell a friendship bracelet or origami swan knows all about the elementary school grassroots business agenda.

The only part I didn’t love about the book was the way Mindy and Brandon interacted. Mindy’s friend advises her that “no one really likes him” and that he’s “a big baby.” I would have loved to see a positive resolution to this conflict by the end of the book; however, maybe it’s in an upcoming Mindy story.

Mindy’s endearing story is the first book in a delightful new series. I’m excited to see a Korean-American main character in a children’s book.