I am here

by Kim Hyo-eun, Aerin Park (Translator)

18 pages, Board Book

Published May 5, 2026

Reviews

[YSBR · Rating 5 out of 5]

This elegant, accordion-style board book offers a memorable reading experience that families will enjoy returning to again and again. The first side presents seven discrete images all connected through the use of the word “under”: first under the sun, then under a cloud, a rainbow, a balloon, a bird, and a hat. Why that preposition? The last image reveals a baby passively gazing upwards from a front carrier worn by its mom, labelled simply “me”. Each illustration focuses on one bold object against a bright blue sky – with the high contrast and simple artwork making them eye-catching for babies. Flip the accordion over, and now a slightly older baby toddles “beside” objects: first Grandpa, then a cat, some ants, a few rocks, a leaf, a handful of acorns, and a stick, before finally reiterating: “Me / I am here”. As befits this more active exploration of the world, each object now features a unique background color: the stream of black ants against a gray sidewalk, for example, or a handful of brown nuts against a backdrop of autumn leaves. 

Kim Hyo-eum’s lovely illustrations are softly realistic and look to have been created with watercolor inks or paint. The author/illustrator is Korean and writes in a brief afterward that she is “growing little by little alongside my child, who is new to this world, taking our time to learn and walk together.” I presume the characters share that ethnicity – all three have light colored skin and dark black hair. Sneakers are a recurring visual element in the book; Mom holds tiny ones in her hands while the baby rides in the front carrier, which contrast pointedly with her own canvas slip-ons and Grandpa’s hightops. The last shot of the main character shows the baby taking some tentative first steps and now wearing the sweet white shoes. Accordion books are wonderfully appealing to toddlers as playthings and I can imagine this one being folded and unfolded over and over again. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...

[Dima]

4/5 stars
“Not yet published?” That’s crazy, considering that I read this in a indie bookstore on some Washington state shore.
Cute and simple. Great illustrations. I love how it folds out like an accordion & how it’s double-sided. Let’s keep having fun with the medium of books!