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Kim The Magic Lunch Box AUGUST 2023 by Hanna Kim illustrated by Emily Paik The Magic Lunch Box UNCORRECTED PROOF – NOT FOR SALEThe Magic Lunch Box by Hanna Kim • illustrated by Emily Paik UNCORRECTED PROOF - NOT FOR RESALEPublished by Stone Arch Books, an imprint of Capstone 1710 Roe Crest Drive, North Mankato, Minnesota 56003 capstonepub.com Text copyright © 2024 by Hanna Kim Illustrations copyright © 2024 by Capstone All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on the Library of Congress website. ISBN: 9781669014409 (hardcover) ISBN: 9781669017578 (paperback) ISBN: 9781669017523 (ebook PDF) Summary: Fourth-grader Ben Lee is anxious to make new friends at his new school in Michigan. But on his first day, things take a turn for the worse. The other kids act grossed out by the homemade kimbap in his lunch box. Embarrassed, Ben makes an impulsive wish, and soon strange things start happening. A ham sandwich appears in his lunch box inside instead of Mom’s homemade mandoo. At first, Ben is thrilled. But soon the magical switcheroos start happening regularly and to other things— like Ben’s favorite Korean cartoon, Tobot V. And the special pencils his grandma sent from Korea. How far will the lunch box magic go? And how far will Ben go to set things right? Design Elements Shutterstock: dawool Designed by Jaime Willems UNCORRECTED PROOF - NOT FOR RESALETable of Contents Chapter 1 The Lunch Box �������������������������������������� 5 Chapter 2 The Kimbap Disaster ������������������������������ 13 Chapter 3 Stall Number 3 ������������������������������������� 25 Chapter 4 The Switch ������������������������������������������ 31 Chapter 5 The Voice �������������������������������������������� 43 Chapter 6 Disappearing Act ���������������������������������� 49 Chapter 7 TV Trouble ������������������������������������������ 56 Chapter 8 The Call ���������������������������������������������� 64 Chapter 9 Emilio’s Secret �������������������������������������� 73 Chapter 10 Operation Lunch Box ����������������������������� 79 Chapter 11 Connecting the Dots ������������������������������ 90 Chapter 12 The Final Test �������������������������������������� 98 UNCORRECTED PROOF - NOT FOR RESALEUNCORRECTED PROOF - NOT FOR RESALE CHAPTER 1 The Lunch Box Screech! The bus halted in front of me, and the doors flung open. I hesitated, staring down at my new lunch box. Takion, the blue-and-white robot from my favorite Korean show, Tobot V , stared back at me from the front. On the opposite side, my mom had written my name—Ben Lee—in big, bold letters. I hadn’t wanted her to mess it up, but Mom had insisted. “What if you lose it?” she’d asked. “It’s a new school. Better safe than sorry.” “Ummaaa,” I’d groaned, using the Korean word for mom. We spoke both Korean and 5 UNCORRECTED PROOF - NOT FOR RESALEEnglish at home. “I’m in fourth grade. I’m not going to forget it!” “C’mon, honey,” Dad had said, giving Mom a hug. “Ben’s responsible now, right?” He gave me a wink. I’d nodded, but truthfully, I was nervous about starting a new school. Ever since Dad had announced his job was moving from California to Michigan, it had been one big change after another. First, we’d packed up our apartment, right in the middle of Koreatown. It was surrounded by some of the best Korean shops, PC game rooms, and restaurants. It was the only neighborhood I’d ever known. Then, Mom had been forced to sell her restaurant. It was one of the busiest in Koreatown. I’d loved visiting her there and stealing bites of food. I knew saying goodbye to it made her sad. 6 UNCORRECTED PROOF - NOT FOR RESALEI’d been sad to leave behind my friends too, especially my best friend, Jaehyun. It didn’t help that I was going to be a new student in January—smack dab in the middle of the school year. Everyone would already have friends to hang out with. I wouldn’t know anyone. What if Michigan kids don’t like the same movies as the kids back in California? I’d worried. What if they don’t play the same kind of sports? What if they don’t even talk the same? At least I had my cool Tobot V lunch box to show off. Mom had even packed kimbap— a Korean dish made with rice, veggies, meat, and pickled radish wrapped in seaweed—for my lunch. Mom’s kimbap ruled. It took her more than two hours to make and had ten different ingredients in it. It was my favorite food in the whole world! 7 UNCORRECTED PROOF - NOT FOR RESALENext >