Korean / Republic of Korea
Donggul an e mwoya?
(What’s in the cave?)
Gim, Sang Geun
(Kim, Sang-Keun)
(text/illus.)
Seoul: Hallim chulpansa (Hollym), 2020. – [41] p.
ISBN 978-89-7094-789-1
Frog | Curiosity | Courage | Discovery | Perception | Illusion | Picture book
Reading age: 4+
White Ravens issue: 2021
The frog siblings wonder about the mysterious light shining from a cave. Their mom’s warning about horrible monsters in there only piques their curiosity. Inquisitively, they enter the unknown world to find their own answers. The glittering lights on the cave’s ceiling aren’t the evil eyes of bats, are they? The strange glow doesn’t come from dragons lurking in the dark, does it? That isn’t a monster tracking them through the narrow passages, is it? Upon returning from their adventure, they proudly tell Mom about their discovery: the mysterious glow was emitted by a swarm of fireflies. Meanwhile, a baby dragon’s mom warns him that outside the cave, in that dangerously bright place, there are monsters! Who is the monster? Who is more terrified? Who is being demonized? Kim Sang-Keun’s cinematic narrative makes different things visible to the readers, the frogs and the “monsters,” thus letting them perceive different realities, depending on their preconceived ideas. [YC, MC, SP]