With national pride and occasional fear, a brother and sister face the increasingly oppressive occupation of Korea by Japan during World War II, which threatens to suppress Korean culture entirely.
Explains how symbols strengthen small and large communities and presents examples of symbols, including holidays, fairs, flags, songs, and documents such as the Declaration of Independence.
A ninth-grader's suspension for humming "The Star-Spangled Banner" during homeroom becomes a national news story, and leads to him and his teacher both leaving the school.
While researching the American flag for a class project, the Corner Kids ask townspeople what the flag means to them and find that each person has a different answer.
Introduces the value of loyalty, presenting hypothetical situations intended to make young readers see the benefit of being faithful to friends, schools, teams, and family members.