Choi, Yangsook. 2006. Behind the mask. Ill. by Yangsook Choi. New York: Frances Foster Books. ISBN 0374305226
Plot Summary
Halloween is coming and Kimin is trying to decide what his costume will be. Kimin’s mother suggests that he look through his grandfather’s boxes of photos and Talchum (Korean mask dance) dance costumes for inspiration. Kimin is reluctant to go through the boxes because his last memory of his grandfather was frightening. Kimin braves opening the boxes and decides to honor his grandfather by going as him for Halloween. His friends think his costume idea is silly, until they see the mysterious masked dancer. When Kimin makes what he fears is a tragic mistake, he receives a precious gift that shows him how much his grandfather loved him.
Critical Analysis (Including Cultural Markers)
Yongsook Choi blends the Korean traditional mask dance, Talchum, and Korean traditions of honoring the dead with the American Halloween traditions of wearing costumes and trick-or-treating. The colorful illustrations capture the movement of the dance, and the exaggerated features of the masks. The illustrations show culturally authentic Korean details such as the rice paper door and Korean lettering, along with American details such as a jack o’ lantern and fanciful Halloween costumes. The details of the Talchum, with more information provided in an author’s note, will interest children of all cultures, and the underlying theme of missing a deceased grandparent is universal.
Review Excerpts
Booklist: “Quiet and well crafted, the story manages some subtle emotional shifts as well as the smooth weaving of one tradition into another.”
School Library journal: “This is an evocative look at a Korean tradition and an interesting intergenerational and multicultural story for Halloween.”
Connections
There are many videos on YouTube of Talchum dances, from amateur to professional, and instructional videos for learning the dances and making the masks. Here are a couple to start with:
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