When My Name Was Keoko
by Linda Sue Park

Sun-hee and her older brother Tae-yul are proud of their Korean heritage. Yet they live their lives under Japanese occupation. All students must read and write in Japanese and no one can fly the Korean flag. Hardest of all is when the Japanese Emperor forces all Koreans to take Japanese names. Sun-hee and Tae-yul become Keoko and Nobuo.

Korea is torn apart by their Japanese invaders during World War II. Everyone must help with war preparations, but it does not mean they are willing to defend Japan.