Korean American author Tae Keller is this year's winner of the Newbery Medal for her book "When You Trap a Tiger," which is based on Korean folktales. (Keller's official website)

By Lee Hana

A book inspired by Korean folklore has won this year's Newbery Medal, one of the most famous U.S. awards for children's literature.

The Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), on Jan. 25 announced Korean American author Tae Keller as this year's Newbery winner for her book "When You Trap a Tiger."

Published by Penguin Random House in January last year, the book drew from Korean folktales that the author heard from her maternal grandmother while growing up, with tigers regularly appearing in such stories. 

The story is about a biracial girl named Lily and her family who move in with her sick grandmother, and a magical tiger straight out of the folktales Keller heard arrives. This prompts Lily to consider making a deal with the tiger in exchange for her granny's health. 

The ALA-run Newbery Medal Committee said, "This masterpiece of magical realism is an evocative story of love, loss, and hope that brings Korean folklore to life. Through her halmoni's (grandmother's) tales, Lily learns that with stories we can share our past and shape our future."

On her website, Keller says she "grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii, where she subsisted on kimchi, purple rice, and stories" and now "writes about biracial girls trying to find their voices."

A highly prestigious U.S. award for children's literature, the Newbery has been annually given since 1922. The honor is named after John Newbery, an English book publisher who first made the genre a profitable part of the literary market. 

hlee10@korea.kr