cover image When Spring Comes to the DMZ

When Spring Comes to the DMZ

Uk-bae Lee, trans. from the Korean by Chungyon Won and Aileen Won. Plough, $17.95 (48p) ISBN 978-0-87486-972-9

Created after the truce that ended the Korean War in 1953, the Korean demilitarized zone split the country in two, dividing its population and separating families. In the swath between the countries’ barbed wire borders, though, the natural world flourishes: “When spring comes to the DMZ,/ green shoots spring up in the meadows.” South Korean peace activist Lee celebrates the animals that thrive despite the political tension: “The seals don’t know about the line./ They come and go freely.” Throughout the seasons, an old man climbs the observation tower to look through a telescope; finely worked landscapes are drawn through his eyes: “Grandfather wants to fling the tightly locked gates wide open.” A bold gatefold lets readers do just that, and Lee imagines Grandfather walking through the meadow with his grandson. Greater historical context beyond the included back matter would have been beneficial, but the story’s poignancy will resonate. Ages 5–8. [em](Mar.) [/em]