This is such an exquisite and delicate picture book! In spare but lovely language and finely wrought, pastel-coloured illustrations, artist and author Cheon Yooju presents the story of Cat who prepares to eat her lunch on a park bench on an early spring day when the trees are in blossom. Dog, too, comes to the park to read on this “sun twinkling”, “breeze-blowing” day. Because of the wind, a petal flutters back and forth between the two seated on the bench, encouraging them to acknowledge each other. Friendship, like the world around Cat and Dog, is suddenly in blossom, too.
Because of the delicacy of the art, this is a picture book that is best shared not in a group setting but between two people: two children (in a buddy read), a parent and a child, or even between two grown-ups. Adults who share the book with kids could have some interesting discussions about how friendships can start in surprising ways.
Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group—Lincoln Children’s Books for providing me with a free digital copy of the book for reviewing.