Janie Jaehyun Park

I loved this folktale. It was retold with amazing illustrations and descriptions. The illustrations were whimsical but strong which helped the story a lot. Some of the language was hard because of the pronunciations but they had a guide for young readers. The story explains is based around the stars and the Milky Way. It Also explains why there is a lot of rain in the spring and why the magpies go bald in this season. This story is very cultural which is why I loved it so much. It gives such a good look at the lives of the Korean people before westerners came. The main message is about consequences. It talks about two people who meet in a garden and fall in love, but neglect their work. The king bans them from seeing each other but allows them to meet once a year in the Milky Way.… (meer)

A traditional Korean folktale is very faithfully retold with beautiful illustrations. Kyonu, a farmer, and Jingnyo, a weaver, live in a kingdom in the sky where they rear and create the strongest beasts and cloth, respectively. When they meet in a garden and fall in love, however, they neglect their work and the kingdom suffers. The king of the starry realm punishes them by separating them, but tells them they can meet in the Milky Way once a year. The story explains why certain stars are close together once a year, why there is rain in that season, and why the magpies go bald. It has a strong focus on responsibility to others and the consequences of selfish pursuits, which gives insight to the culture it originated from. The language and text are age appropriate and have a pronunciation guide for the characters, and the artwork is a perfect fit for the folktale, with details such as colorful swirling clouds and stars, and a giant king standing in the heavens.… (meer)