Korea
The Depth of the Lake and the Height of the Sky
By Kim Jihyun
The Depth of the Lake and the Height of the Sky. Kim Jihyun. Floris Books, 2021. First published in South Korea as Last Summer by Woongjin Thinkbig Co. Ltd, Seoul, in 2017. First published in English by Floris Books, Edinburgh in 2021, and in the US in 2022. ISBN 9781782507420. 48 p. (Ages 4-7). Picture book.
The first picture book by illustrator Kim Jihyun, it has been named among the best books of 2022 by The Boston Globe, New York Public Library, The Horn Book, Kirkus Reviews and School Library Journal. A wordless book, it recounts a city boy’s trip to his grandparents’ home in the countryside. The boy embarks on a walk into the woods alone with his dog, and the illustrations evoke palpable wonder and delight in nature. Inspired by her own trip to a lakeside town, Kim says she wanted to share the “serene feeling” she experienced being immersed in nature. [dj]
Latin America
Chile
9 Kilometers
By Claudio Aguilera, Lawrence Schimel (Translator), Gabriela Lyon (Illustrator)
9 Kilometers. Claudio Aguilera. Translated by Lawrence Schimel. Illustrated by Gabriela Lyon. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2023. Originally published as 9 kilómetros in Spanish by Ediciones Ekaré Sur, Santiago, Chile, in 2020. ISBN 9780802856005. 56 p. (Ages 5-9). Picture book.
A 10-year-old boy enjoys his 5.5 mile walk home from school through Chilean rain forests and mountains. A White Ravens selection and children’s category winner of the Chilean Ministry of Culture's Marta Brunet Award. [jm]