What do you think?
Rate this book
In the Moonlight Mist: A Korean Tale
A good-hearted woodcutter finds a heavenly wife in this retelling of a Korean folk tale.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 1999
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 28, 2012
Apparently the story about "the man who married the heavenly maiden because he stole her clothes while she was bathing" comes from Korea. I did not know that. It concludes with a happy ending, so I won't complain anyway.
April 12, 2026
A humble and kindhearted woodcutter saves the life of a hunted deer in the mountains in this picture book retelling of a Korean folktale from American author Daniel San Souci and expatriate Korean illustrator Eujin Kim Neilan, and is rewarded accordingly. Told to present himself at a beautiful mountain lake at the full moon, and to take the clothing of one of the five heavenly maidens who descend to bathe, the woodcutter is given his heart's desire: a wife and companion, and eventually, a child. Deeply in love, he forgets the deer's warning not to give give his wife back her heavenly garments until after the birth of their second child, and ends up losing both wife and daughter. Will he live in sorrow forever, or will the deer help him again...?
In the Moonlight Mist: A Korean Tale is the fifth picture book I have read from San Souci, following upon his own lovely North Country Night , and three others he illustrated, but it is the first I have seen from Neilan. The pair also collaborated on The Rabbit and the Dragon King: Based on a Korean Folk Tale , with the two books appearing to be the only titles from San Souci that he himself did not illustrate. In any case, I found the story enjoyable, and appreciated the happy ending, in which the woodcutter is , not just because of his initial kind deed, but also because of the fact that he was willing to . The illustrations, done in acrylic, are lovely, with a textured, painterly feeling that was quite appealing. I will definitely be seeking out the other book this pair created, and would recommend this one to young folklore enthusiasts, as well as to those seeking traditional Korean stories.
In the Moonlight Mist: A Korean Tale is the fifth picture book I have read from San Souci, following upon his own lovely North Country Night , and three others he illustrated, but it is the first I have seen from Neilan. The pair also collaborated on The Rabbit and the Dragon King: Based on a Korean Folk Tale , with the two books appearing to be the only titles from San Souci that he himself did not illustrate. In any case, I found the story enjoyable, and appreciated the happy ending, in which the woodcutter is , not just because of his initial kind deed, but also because of the fact that he was willing to . The illustrations, done in acrylic, are lovely, with a textured, painterly feeling that was quite appealing. I will definitely be seeking out the other book this pair created, and would recommend this one to young folklore enthusiasts, as well as to those seeking traditional Korean stories.
April 22, 2026
The man knows it's wrong to steal the clothes and future of a maiden, but the deer convines him anyway.
Ew
Then he has to keep her through two breedings or she will remember where she belongs and return to her Heavenly plane.
Ew.
He doesn't! He gives her the clothes after one baby. Yay. Then she leaves him and Earth, yay. Then he wants her back and sends his mom in a bucket. That makes God like him and he gets to take a dragon ride to Heaven too. All for being a lonely lil kidnapper.
Idk, not a cute message. The art was well done but it wasn't nice enough for me to forgive the storyline.
My kid felt disturbed. Kid said, "stop, please, I don't like this. I don't want you to read this book."
This story (spying on women when they're vulnerable, stealing their magic clothes to trap them, kidnapping them and forcing them to bear your child) is dated and not in a neat historical way.
Ew
Then he has to keep her through two breedings or she will remember where she belongs and return to her Heavenly plane.
Ew.
He doesn't! He gives her the clothes after one baby. Yay. Then she leaves him and Earth, yay. Then he wants her back and sends his mom in a bucket. That makes God like him and he gets to take a dragon ride to Heaven too. All for being a lonely lil kidnapper.
Idk, not a cute message. The art was well done but it wasn't nice enough for me to forgive the storyline.
My kid felt disturbed. Kid said, "stop, please, I don't like this. I don't want you to read this book."
This story (spying on women when they're vulnerable, stealing their magic clothes to trap them, kidnapping them and forcing them to bear your child) is dated and not in a neat historical way.
February 24, 2018
A simple story about following directions and doing good to others.
July 8, 2011
San Souci, Daniel. (1999). In the Moonlight Mist (A Korean Tale). Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press.
Annotation: For children in first to third grade. Eujin Kim Neilan, who uses deep bold colors and textured strokes to create large pictures while still leaving white space to help the beginning reader, illustrates this book. This story begins with a caring woodcutter saving the life of a magical deer, who return rewards the woodcutter under the condition that he follows his instructions. The woodcutter cares for others so much that he puts fails to follow the instructions. In the end, the woodcutter still prevails because of generosity and good deeds.
Personal Reaction: I think this is a good book for early readers because the text reads smoothly and the illustrations enhance the story without overpowering it. Additionally it is important for children to be exposed to the values and stories of other cultures.
Annotation: For children in first to third grade. Eujin Kim Neilan, who uses deep bold colors and textured strokes to create large pictures while still leaving white space to help the beginning reader, illustrates this book. This story begins with a caring woodcutter saving the life of a magical deer, who return rewards the woodcutter under the condition that he follows his instructions. The woodcutter cares for others so much that he puts fails to follow the instructions. In the end, the woodcutter still prevails because of generosity and good deeds.
Personal Reaction: I think this is a good book for early readers because the text reads smoothly and the illustrations enhance the story without overpowering it. Additionally it is important for children to be exposed to the values and stories of other cultures.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews