STAR FISHING

A South Korean import, translated by Ly, reimagines childhood insomnia.

An ungendered, light-skinned youngster dressed in a white rabbit sleeper is having trouble falling asleep. So, they entreat the moon to “come and play”; thus begins a magical, moonlight adventure in the velvety blue night sky. The moon rabbit (a South Korean mythical figure) holds a Huck Finn–style fishing rod, lets down the line baited with a radiant star, and, with a great yank, lifts the child up to the crescent moon. “Are we the only ones awake?” they wonder, and this question becomes a refrain as they cast the fishing line repeatedly, reeling in animals who are also wide awake in their habitats—a woodland fox, an undersea crab, and two polar bears. Perched on the moon, tot and animals, each with their own fishing rods now, soak their baits and share the reasons why they can’t get any shut-eye. Suddenly, their lines go taut as a vibrant cluster of golden stars strike, pulling everyone out into the sky for a playful sidereal romp. To capture the memories of the night, each character creates a namesake constellation before rabbit magics them home, fast sleep. Kim’s luminous illustrations do the heavy lifting in this enchanting fantasia narrated using simple, spare prose. Adults can use the story to introduce young children to the Ursa Minor, Ursa Major, Vulpecula, and Cancer constellations. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A dreamy folkloric adventure with astronomical appeal that’s tailor-made for bedtime reading.