When Spring Comes to the DMZ by UK-Bae Lee - ESSENTIAL

When Spring Comes to the DMZ by UK-Bae Lee translated from Korean by Chungyon Won and Aileen Won PICTURE BOOK Plough Publishing House 2019 (original publication 2010) $18. 9780874869729

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL - ESSENTIAL; MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Over 65 years ago, an area was created between North and South Korea called a demilitarized zone. It's a stretch of land 154 miles long by 2.5 miles wide, and because there are no people there, it has become a wildlife sanctuary. Each season, the boy's grandfather comes to the DMZ to climb up to the observatory and looks north, the animals and plants are thriving, but it's still military controlled, so no one can go there, not even Grandfather. 

Beautifully illustrated by the author, the wildlife scones are striking, the DMZ pictures of fences and barbed wire are heartbreaking. Well written (translated) and the message is clear - it's time for this to be over. I love the author notes at the end.

Lisa Librarian