THE DEPTH OF THE LAKE AND THE HEIGHT OF THE SKY

A wordless ode to the serenity of breathing deep in nature.

A child with pale skin, dark hair, and Asian-presenting features plays with toys in an apartment in a bustling city. Soon the child and their parents are driving to visit relatives in the country. Tall trees replace skyscrapers, and grass replaces pavement. Mesmerized first by family photos on the living room wall and then by the lush outdoors, the child wanders down shady paths, accompanied by their equally curious dog. Arriving at a vast lake, the child dives in and finds a submerged world, with waving plants and fish that seem to beckon. This watery space is serene like the countryside above, and the child revels in it before surfacing to lie on the sunny dock. Later, the child and the dog gaze at the starry sky, inviting readers to do the same. Kim's mostly monochromatic illustrations nevertheless vary in line weight and texture, bringing to life the protagonist’s verdant surroundings and perfectly capturing the transformation from city child to a wilder one. Shifting perspectives vary between close-ups of the child’s wondrous expressions and their tiny form amid a dense forest, an expansive lake, and a luminous night sky. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A simple yet marvelous musing on the beauty of the great outdoors.