Reviewed by Ann Linus for Readers' Favorite

Centuries ago, the Japsang, figurines of different creatures placed on the eaves of roofs, were revered by the Korean people as protectors of the palace. However, in recent times, the people did not seem to value the Japsang, so they ventured into something fun—music. At night, the Japsang ferry to the Shadow Club, where they play their hearts out to the delight of their audience. At the club, the Japsang are known as the Rooftop Revelers. One night, the Rooftop Revelers play so well that the club manager offers to introduce them to the president of the biggest recording company in Korea. In all that excitement, they forget to return to the palace before dawn, and by the morning, the front page of the newspaper reports that the Japsang have been stolen. Will the Japsang take a shot at fame, or will they return to their historic duty? The Rooftop Revelers by MaryJo P. Glover, Debbi Kent, Joan Suwalsky, and Yuleui Lee is a tale about the secret lives of certain historic figurines.

I loved everything about The Rooftop Revelers (A Tale of Korean Japsang). It was beautiful, entertaining, and educational. The story is short, but it contains exciting action, and the Japsang are an interesting and delightful bunch with different personalities. I loved the illustrations by Sangin Lee. They were so beautiful, colorful, detailed, expressive, and artistic. In addition to the interesting plot and captivating illustrations, I enjoyed learning about the Japsang; I even did further research on them. I couldn’t help but wonder about the story of how each Japsang became a guardian of the palace. I also liked that there was a glossary and that all the Korean words were broken down into syllables to aid pronunciation. MaryJo P. Glover, Debbi Kent, Joan Suwalsky, Yuleui Lee, and Sangin Lee put much thought and effort into this charming book. I highly recommend The Rooftop Revelers.