Look Up!

by Jin-Ho Jung, Kim My Hyun (Translator)

Dramatic aerial views and an expressive, subtle palette tell a story about a wheelchair-bound girl looking down from her balcony at passersby below and urging them to Look up!

Dog walkers, a bike rider, a kite flier, and dozens of commuters walk by without taking any notice. Then a boy stops and looks up. He lies on the sidewalk so the girl can see him better. A woman joins him. Soon nine people and one dog are lying down and looking up. The girl looks up at the reader and smiles.

Art and text that are dramatic and elegant tell a story of kindness, compassion and friendship. This book was awarded an Opera Prima Honor at the Bologna Book Fair."

Genres: Picture Books, Friendship, Childrens, Disability, Juvenile, Fiction, Health

32 pages, Hardcover

First published July 30, 2016

Reviews

[محمد شکری · Rating 5 out of 5]

داستان درباره معلولیت است
دختری روی ویلچر، روی بالکن خانه، نشسته و آدم‌ها را از بالا نگاه می‌کند، از بالای بالا، آن‌قدر دور که کسی نگاهش به او نمی‌افتد، حتی وقتی بلند از آدم‌ها می‌خواهد که بالا را نگاه کنند
دست آخر پسری به بالا نگاه می‌کند و او را می‌بیند. پسر روی زمین می‌خوابد تا او را راحت‌تر ببیند. مردم با تعجب پسر را نگاه می‌کنند. سپس زنی جهت نگاه پسررا دنبال می‌کند و دختر را می‌بیند. بعد او هم روی زمین می‌خوابد تا دختر را بهتر ببیند. بعد مردی مسن، بعد زوجی جوان و... همین‌طور تا اینکه تعداد زیادی از آدم‌ها خوابیده روی زمین به تماشای دختر مشغول می‌شوند. در آخرین صفحه از همان بالا که زاوبه دید کل کتاب است همان پایین پیاده رو را می‌بینیم. ولی دیگر دختری روی بالکن نیست. در عوض، ویلچری آن پایین کنار پیاده رو دیده می‌شود و دختری که با همان پسر کنار هم نشسته‌اند و مردمی به رفت و آمدشان ادامه می‌دهند

پ.ن: تقریبا یک پنجم جمعیت کشورها را معلولین مختلف تشکیل می‌دهند. دلیل اینکه ما معلولین بسیار کمتری از این را در کنار خود می‌بینیم این است که آنها به حاشیه رانده شده‌اند. جایی برای آنها درنظر گرفته نشده و کسی آن‌ها را نمی‌بیند. شاید جایی بالای بالکن خانه‌هایشان دارند به ما نگاه می‌کنند

پ.ن۲: داستان بسیار جالب بود. اما به سبک انیمیشن کوتاه طراحی شده بود. ارتباط گرفتن با آن برای کودکان کمی دشوار است

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spare Korean black and white picturebook from the perspective of a kid in a wheelchair looking out over a balcony and saying hi to passersby, some of whom lie down on the sidewalk and look up to him so that he doesn't have to only see the top of their heads. Sweet.

[Teresa Bateman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Korean import gives a unique look at perspective and friendship. A few words of text accompany black and white illustrations looking down at the top of a child's head and the sidewalk below. Bicycles, people, pets, and umbrellas all pass by, as the little girl wishes for someone to look up and acknowledge her. She clearly wants to be part of the wider world. Careful observers will see that the girl is in a wheelchair, but this is not emphasized. When one person looks up soon another does as well. Then passers-by begin to interact with the child above who eventually goes down to join them, at which point the illustrations have a little color added. This is a deceptively simple, largely wordless book. It is, nevertheless, a thoughtful book with a greater depth than one would initially assume.

[Yoo Kyung Sung · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG!! The author grew up in the same city as mine--Daegu. It is interesting the author's info specifically mentions hew grew up in Daegu.
Before people look up, their heads are just bunch of dots when you look at them from the higher up place. The narrating character from the up whispers "look up!" and finally one person looks up and lies down on the street so that the "looking-down" character can see the face of the person who is lying on the street. Eventually the character from the up, joins people on the street becoming a part of the street crew who would look up to see her face. Simple childish illustration is charming and it is quite symbolically powerful to think of physical distance as human disconnections.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dramatic, unique look at perspective.

[Janis Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-4.5 Stars

This is adorable and very poignant.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting illustrations featuring mostly cobblestones and passersby accompany a story of compassion and one with which anyone who has been sick, injured or separated from those down below will be able to relate. In the book's pages, a girl in a wheelchair looks down at the street below. Many individuals pass by, one walking a dog, one riding a bike, and even someone flying a kite. As the girl peers down, the scenes change over the different pages with umbrellas being raised at one point to ward off the rain. Her entreaties for someone to look up and see her are ignored by everyone until one boy stops and takes the time to look up. After he invites her to come down, and she explains that she can only see the tops of everyone's heads from where she is, he lies down on the cobblestones. Following his lead, a host of others join him, bringing a bit of color into her life and offering many future possibilities for friendship. Although I liked every page in this book and the way the author/illustrator plays with perspective, I particularly liked the last two pages in which colors are blooming on the left hand side of the page and two youngsters stand next to a wheelchair and look up. The book was first published in Korea, and I am delighted to add it to my collection as an example of compassion, thinking of others, and planting the seeds of friendship.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deceptively simple concept and illustrations make for a lovely story with a very touching ending. A really nice book to share with an early elementary kid - let them take the lead on exploring the story.

This is also the only picture book I've read that features a main character child in a wheelchair.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading Look Up! on the heels of Brendan Wenzel's They All Saw a Cat, I suddenly want to gather All The Books about point of view. Suggestions?

[Dylan Teut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this one!

[Beverly · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not like the illustrations; also, I could not tell the girl was in a wheel chair without reading the blurb. Should be much more obvious.

[Megan Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

A thought-provoking look at the world from a different perspective, with a heart warming ending. The gentle, loosely drawn illustrations remind me of Quentin Blake's.

[Tara Schloetter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before reading the inside of the book jacket, Look Up! confused me a little, because there are very few words and the book consists of mostly illustrations. However, after I read the inside cover, I understood that the illustrations were depicting a little girl in a wheelchair who is very high up on a balcony and is looking down at the street at the people walking by. The little girl can only see the tops of peoples’ heads, so eventually some of the dog walkers, commuters, bike riders, etc. began to lay down on the sidewalk so the little girl could see them better. The illustrations are done in black and white, until the very last two pages, where there is some color added to the trees, balloons, and some clothing or objects of the people down below. This book tells a sweet story, and a story that many people will go their lives not experiencing themselves, of the little girl in the wheelchair who is making friends and receiving kindness from random strangers who are walking by below her. Although this book contains very little words, the illustrations are a little tricky to figure out and take some time to determine what is happening on each page. I would use this book as a read aloud with a child who is at the elementary-age, because there are a lot of details to the illustrations, and the perspective of the reader looking down at the street below might be difficult for some younger readers to grasp and fully understand.

[Shay · Rating 1 out of 5]

A girl in a wheelchair rolls out onto her balcony and looks down below. She sees many people and begs them to look up at her. Nobody looks up until finally a young boy comes along. The girl tells the boy to "look up." The boy looks up and asks the girl to come down, but she cant because of her wheelchair. The boy lies down on the cement and looks up at the girl. A lady comes along and asks the boy why he is on the ground. He explains that there is a girl on her balcony and tells the lady to look up. The lady joins the boy, lies down on the cement, and looks up at the girl. Soon more people come and the boy says look up! The people lie on the cement with the others and look up at the girl. The girl is happy, very happy.
I gave this book one star because it was very difficult to identify the topic and the theme. The book lacked context which made the book confusing. Additionally the illustrations did not grab my attention, nor did they add to the theme or relate to the books topic.

[Kassidy Wandke · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing take on disability awareness! I loved this book and its simplicity. Look Up! is a simple depiction of a girl in a wheelchair trying to get the attention of the people walking below her balcony each day. One day, someone finally looks up at her when she calls down to them. She says that she can’t see so well from that angle, so he lays down so she can see better, and others follow suit, making it easier for her to experience the world below her. At the end of the story she even comes down to look up herself, and is out of her wheelchair! This is such a fun way to talk about inclusion and disability awareness with little kids. It's an interesting perspective to illustrate from as well. I really enjoyed following the pictures as well as the words and I think an early reader would really thrive with this book!

[Allyssa Dotson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Look Up! is the cute short picture book that is almost wordless, the illustrations tell the story of a girl in a wheelchair who is trying to get the attention of people passing down on the street. The sketches are essentially all in black and white until the last page where there are little pops of color to show how the mood has changed. I think this book has exemplary inclusiveness, it's not very often the main character in picture books are in wheelchairs. It gives children with this disability someone to identify even if there are little words said. Because this book is so simple, I would teach it in kindergarten or first grade for a class read aloud to then open the conversation of inclusion. This could be an important lesson to students at a young age, and teaching it in a safe environment would allow them to ask questions without feeling guilty for asking about them.

[Li Sifan(Liona) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Contrary to the previous book, the story of this book is very warm and sweet. It tell a story about a wheelchair-bound girl looking down from her balcony at passersby below and urging them to look up. Dog walkers, a bike rider, a kite flier, and dozens of commuters walk by without taking any notice. Then a boy Stops and looks up. He lies on the sidewalk so the girl can see him better. A woman joins him. Soon nine people and one dog are lying down and looking up. The girl looks up at the reader and smiles. This is very attractive to me. It seems to provide a completely opposite perspective from the previous books. The reader can have different opinions on all the content. This is a very good book for teaching.

[Natalia Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Look Up! tells the story of a girl in a wheel chair who just want people to notice her on her balcony. Everyone just walks by until a boy notices and lays on the sidewalk so she can see him. Soon after, many people start to join. The illustrations are like we are looking down at the girl. At the end of the book the girl looks up and smiles. This book is very simplistic, but the message and story line were still very clear. I would one hundred percent read this book to an elementary class. I would use it to teach my students acceptance and the importance of caring for everyone. I think this book could inspire and teach students at a young age about this and then they will grow up like that. It is so important to teach students important lessons like this, especially through literature.

[Emma Leeds · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is being used for class ELED 460.
Look Up! is a 2016 book written and Illustrated by Jung Jin-Ho. The book was published by Holiday House and has 32 pages. The book falls within the fiction or realistic fiction genre!

This book is about a girl who lives up above a popular city crossing, always watching people's heads. Nobody ever looks up to see her, and that bums her out! Until a boy is walking, and notices her way up above his head- and asks her to come down. She says she just sees the tops of everyone's head, and so the boy lays in the street- so she can see his full body. Soon, other people notice the boy and join in! This book uses colors to enhance the excitement at the end of the book, and a very soft and childlike style! Super cute book.

[Lauren☂︎☼♤☘︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A timorous — and sparkling — reminder that children deserve good art too. Bare in storytelling, but abundant in conveyance, Look Up! puts the propensities of quality children's media on full exhibition. Something that can be enjoyed by everyone, this book simply extends the opportunity of its invited audience to far-reaching corners, not leaving the life held within to niches, particulars, or exclusions. With its minimal text, the quaint, humanistic, and smartly formulaic illustrations swim in the evidence of artful distillation and rich craft that prelude both the meekness of the final product and the might of its impact: the vigorous ideation, vibrant creativity, and blinding care of Look Up! are to be delighted in and savored.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Look up! is a unique book about a girl in a wheelchair looking down her balcony trying to get someones attention to look up. This book is unlike any children's book I have ever read. I absolutely love the perspective of the black and white illustrations. It is a beautiful story of acceptance and inclusion. I noticed that once the girl joins the boy, color is added to the illustration. It almost seems as if a little color has been added to her world once she felt accepted and made a new friend. There are not many words in this book, but in my opinion, the words used are powerful. Sometimes all it takes is to "look up", speak out or reach out to someone.

[Destiny Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book, I really loved how the book had more pictures than words. In this story it showcases how a community can come together to accept and support a child with a disability. The story is about a little girl who is wheelchair bound that lives in what seems to be a high story apartment complex who may not get to come down and interact with people on a day to day basis so, she looks out her window instead. When she looks out the window people from her community interact with her by looking up at her to communicate with her so that she gets to interact with people and not feel alone or left out in her community.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting picture book of few words in black and white illustrations and is an exercise in perspective. A girl in a wheelchair is looking down from her balcony and calls "Look up!" to those walking by that she sees - commuters, walkers, a bike rider, people with umbrellas, dog walkers...finally a boy takes notice and lies on the sidewalk so the girl can see him better (not just the top of his head). Others join him in laying down on the sidewalk. A story about perspective, kindness, and friendship. Not necessarily a read aloud but an interesting little book that could be used for art perspective or empathy building.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

This subtle import from Korea depicts the experience of a child In a wheelchair who looks down on the activity in the street below. The repetition of the frame on every page of the book with the addition or subtraction of some passersby makes the reading experience one of paying attention to the details to get the flow of activity. The street full of umbrellas has an evocative feel. The first person to look up to the narrator delivers emotional pop, and the final two pages provide resolution with color, relocation, and growth.

[Amy Layton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book toys with perspective as well as community relations.  I've never seen a book illustrated from such a specific, height-dizzying angle!  It's so creative and plays with the idea of how focused everyone is with the world in their immediate view, as opposed to what's all around them.  And when they finally look up, they get a surprise that brings them all together!  Overall, this is a very creative story perfect for the young reader.

Review cross-listed here!

[Juliana Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Girl in a wheelchair looks down from her balcony on the people in the courtyard. The whole time she calls out 'look up' to the people below. One boy looks up and chats with her. Realizing that she can only see tops of head, the boy lies down on his back so she can see him better. Soon more people lie down for the girl until she finally comes down to the courtyard and sits with the boy under a tree.

[Jvermeersch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lief, warm, leuk om samen te ontcijferen.
Leuk getekend en origineel.
Simpele boodschap en zo ook al (of vooral) geschikt voor jonge kleuters.
Vooral mooi ook hoe subtiel in het begin die rolstoel werd getoond, en hoe op het einde duidelijk wordt dat ze echt vriendjes zijn geworden, aangezien uit de rolstoel op de stoep op te maken is dat het het kindje zelf is die nu daar ligt.

[Kya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book cracked me up, and was super sweet! I don't see top-down books very often, so the change in pace was enlightening. I love how more and more people joined in altering their own view. I doubt this sort of thing would happen in real life, but I can imagine it showing up as one of those "can you believe this?" sorts of thing on Facebook.

[Child960801 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is practically a wordless book. A young girl is stuck at home, just watching the people pass on the street outside. She sees the people just as small heads moving around without her until a little boy looks up and sees her.

A story told from an unusual perspective about how meaningful a small act of kindness can be.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love this concept of looking at the world differently. A girl looks down from her high rise building and only sees the tops of people, etc. She keeps saying "Look up." Someone does and then changes the perspective by lying down on the sidewalk so she can see him. Soon, others join too.
Very few words and simple but powerful illustrations.