CORNER

In this South Korean import, a crow ponders two white, empty walls of a room—and then takes action.

Relocating to the corner, the restless black bird tries various positions on the softly textured, gray floor. The image of the creature lying on its back, feet spread on the walls, will elicit giggles of recognition. The bird brings over a bed, a bookcase, a rug, and a lamp, adding color and interest, and addresses a small potted plant with an inquiring “Hello?” Children will relate to the crow’s subsequent attempts to pass the time: reading, sleeping, watering the plant, eating what appears to be a bowl of cereal. The problem-solver then turns to art, creating elaborate yellow patterns on both walls that require increasingly larger ladders to reach. Music and dance fill a void as well, and the plant is thriving under the crow’s care, yet “Something is still missing.” Covering the furniture with drop cloths (a delightful detail), the industrious soul applies a circular saw to a wall. The resulting window yields the best result yet: a potential friend, a white bird whose existence is possibly foreshadowed on the cover. This enchanting, nearly wordless title allows space for viewers to construct their own narratives, imagining how they would feel—all alone in an empty room—and what they would need or do to feel complete. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A quirky, thought-provoking, and stunning reminder that a house is not a home.