When Spring Comes to the DMZ

by Uk-Bae Lee

Korea's demilitarized zone has become an amazing accidental nature preserve that gives hope for a brighter future for a divided land.

This unique picture book invites young readers into the natural beauty of the DMZ, where salmon, spotted seals, and mountain goats freely follow the seasons and raise their families in this 2.5-mile-wide, 150-mile-long corridor where no human may tread. But the vivid seasonal flora and fauna are framed by ever-present rusty razor wire, warning signs, and locked gates--and regularly interrupted by military exercises that continue decades after a 1953 ceasefire in the Korean War established the DMZ.

Creator Uk-Bae Lee's lively paintings juxtapose these realities, planting in children the dream of a peaceful world without war and barriers, where separated families meet again and live together happily in harmony with their environment. Lee shows the DMZ through the eyes of a grandfather who returns each year to look out over his beloved former lands, waiting for the day when he can return. In a surprise foldout panorama at the end of the book the grandfather, tired of waiting, dreams of taking his grandson by the hand, flinging back the locked gates, and walking again on the land he loves to find his long-lost friends.

When Spring Comes to the DMZ helps introduce children to the unfinished history of the Korean Peninsula playing out on the nightly news, and may well spark discussions about other walls, from Texas to Gaza.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Nature, War, Nonfiction, Asia, History

Unknown Binding

About the author

Uk-Bae Lee was born in Yongin, South Korea, in 1960 and studied art at Hongik University. In 1986 he joined a group of artists whose murals, cartoons, and woodcuts represented the voice of the poor. He also held free painting classes for factory workers. Later, inspired to make a book for his own young daughter, he began his career as a children's book illustrator. In 2010 he published When Spring Comes to the DMZ as a part of the Peace Picture Book Project by illustrators from Korea, China, and Japan. Since then he has often talked to groups of children and parents about how individuals can work for peace. He lives in rural Korea with his wife, who is also a children's book author, and their children.

Well known in Korea, Uk-Bae Lee is an award-winning illustrator. In 1999, his first picture book, Sori's Harvest Moon Day, was published in English and in 2009 he was invited to the Bologna Children's Book Fair as a guest of honor. In 2010 his picture book A Tale of Tales was chosen by the International Board on Books for Young People for its IBBY Honour List.

Reviews

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Spring Comes to the DMZ is a beautiful but bittersweet story set in the 4 km-wide demilitarized zone between South Korea and North Korea. Each of the two countries has put up a fence at their respective boundary of the zone to keep people from travelling between the nations.

We loosely follow the narrator's grandfather as he makes a pilgrimage to the South Korean fence each season to look longingly to the North through binoculars.



Although the fences are not so great for people, the plants and animals don't see the fences as an obstacle, and without the influence of humans, nature has thrived in the DMZ.



Each season has a bit of a description with some gorgeous illustrations about some of the animals that can be found living in the DMZ and what they're doing during that season.



At the back of the book, there is an informative section explaining a bit of the history of the DMZ. This is a great book to start discussions about fences and how they keep people in just as much as they keep people out. I strongly recommend this one for readers of nearly all ages.

This is the second book I've read this year that does a wonderful job of showing a different perspective than that usually shown in the media about a given region. The other was The Most Beautiful Village in the World, and the two would make lovely companion reads about how different life is in other parts of the world.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Plough Publishing for providing me with a DRC of this book.

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

South Korean author and artist Uk-Bae Lee has crafted an enchanting book that contrasts the wildlife that now thrive in the demilitarized zone that divides North and South Korea with the military men who keep the two peoples apart. Lee’s softly tinted, detailed illustrations hail back to an earlier time, reminding me of Lois Lenski’s Strawberry Girl, Berta and Elmer Haders’s The Big Snow, or any of Marguerite de Angeli’s beautiful books.

In When Spring Comes to the DMZ, a boy and his grandfather observe the seasons come and go in the demilitarized zone, while the grandfather pines for his former home in North Korea. The book is touching and beautiful, as appealing to adults as to children. Highly recommended.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Annick Press in exchange for an honest review.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely picture book by South Korean illustrator Uk-Bae Lee promoting peace as part of the Peace Picture Book Project by artists from Korea, China and Japan. The focus is on the DMZ (demilitarized zone) that has existed between South and North Korea since the ceasefire in 1953. Since no humans can set foot on it, it is a kind of untrammeled paradise, an ecological treasure, a 2.5-mile-wide, 150-mile-long corridor where flora and fauna thrive without the threat of humans. A place of peace! Human activity near it amounts to military exercises and tourism. Lee highlights the contrasts between nature and the world of conflict.

The story centers on a boy and his grandfather, who goes every year to the DMZ, the story culminating in an achingly lovely foldout of what the DMZ looks like, as the grandfather dreams of taking his grandson on the land he loves, hoping that separated families and friends can meet again.

Adults can talk with kids about the current status of Korea, of course, and other places in Berlin, Texas, Gaza and the purpose and effects of such separations.

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have read this year - simple yet deeply profound - not just for children. This book poignantly points out that there are areas on the DMZ that abound with flora and fauna - the fact that it has become a 'no mans land' has given nature time to heal. That is a very sad fact that I think we all should dwell upon.

[Lauren]

Beautifully illustrated picturebook about the demilitarized zone (DMZ) that separates the Korean peninsula. This strip of land is not occupied by either North or South Korea, and abutted on both sides by razor-wire fencing.

The space between became an unplanned nature preserve for flora and fauna, extending across land, rivers, and sea. The story follows an old man as he climbs the stairs to the viewing platform to look out over the DMZ.

Lovely watercolor illustrations and some fold-out page spreads. Glad to find this translated childrens' book!

[Karen Witzler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this very much and my teacher-trainee daughter is using it for a classroom unit on Peace. The DMZ between the two Koreas is off limits to humans, but not to wildlife, who thrive in the accidental nature reserve. Each double-page spread of this picture book moves through the seasons as Grandfather and his grandchild (or great-grandchild?) climb up to the observation deck and look over into the land of Grandfather's youth. A different animal grouping is described at the turn of each season. The salmon, finding their way to a long-lost home just to die will cause a catch in your throat....

The final page is a double gate spread which opens to reveal Grandfather's heart's desire: a clear field without walls or razor-wire across a peaceful border that leads to home. Very effective.

[MissBecka Gee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely way to educate children (and adults) on peace and acceptance.
This beautiful picture book takes a look at the wonderful things that can be found in the portion of land held between the fenced in borders of North and South Korea. This area is know as the DMZ (demilitarized zone) and no humans are allowed to set foot on it.
As a result all kinds of plants and animals you may not find anywhere else in Korea flourish and live in harmony there. The author has hope that one day the fences will come down and all the Koreans can live in harmony together as well.
I hope I get to see that too.
Thank you NetGalley and Plough Publishing for the DRC.

[stefiereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know how to express how I feel reading this because it is mixed of beautiful yet sad. DMZ is something new to me. Never heard about it before and I am glad I read this book, because I always love book that add something to my knowledge. As a bonus, the illustration is really beautiful. It captured the story really well.
I highly recommended everyone of all age to pick this book up :)

[Dana-Adriana B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very touching and a beautifully illustrated book. The author is telling us about DMZ, the demilitarized zone that separates North and South Korea, that is now a zone full of beautiful creatures and vegetation.
Thanks to Netgalley and the author for this beautiful book.

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated, touching story. Beauty can be found in odd places, and the longing for home is woven throug nicely.

[Robert Cojocaru · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great short book, for all ages with great illustrations and a heart-warming story.
Thanks Netgalley for the free review copy!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did you know that the DMZ, the zone between the two Koreas, is effectively a wild life refuge, and that people no one lives there, some plants and animals that live there, live no where else. So, it is not so odd a think to go and visit the observation deck and look out into it.

A very different sort of picture book, that juxtaposes the wild life with the armies that also live right on the edge of the zone.





Good book to teach about the area, and also reflect on what has happened all these years.

Probably a little deep for a picture book, but it can also be read as a beautiful reflection on wildlife.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful and graceful plea to make peace an important and urgent value in one's own life, presented in story form, without harsh judgment against anyone, with elegant and lively illustrations of each season, and with a great deal of empathy towards those who are harmed and displaced by war.

No solutions offered or insisted upon, except the all-important first step of wanting to find one's way toward peace, as soon as one possibly can. I hope it stays in today's kids' hearts the way some of the peace books I read when I was a kid stay in mine.

(note: I received an advance copy of this from the publisher.)

[J.S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautifully illustrated book about the DMZ, or Demilitarized Zone, that separates North and South Korea. It's about 2.5 miles wide and stretches from the east coast of the Korean Peninsula to the west coast. As it says in the end, “Because people are not allowed to cross into the DMZ, it has become a sanctuary for a wide variety of wildlife that has disappeared or become endangered in other places. As a result, people often call the DMZ a paradise for wildlife. In reality, it is not a paradise but a last refuge.”

As the story and seasons progress, we see the various wildlife that lives peacefully within the DMZ. We also see, however, the soldiers and razor wire and the debris of war that also line the DMZ. Additionally, we see the grandfather who looks longingly across his divided country and home, lending a sobering note to the story.

Although this is a children's book, I wonder how well most children will connect with the story. I can see the book causing confusion and anxiety for many, and even though the story is hopeful, it’s not very happy. Perhaps it might be a conversation starter for slightly older children or for those whose background includes the subject, but - again! - it’s not a very happy story. Still, I think it’s a beautiful book and I love the hopeful message.

[Laura Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am in awe of this book. How the author/illustrator evokes peace and beauty amid the military presence and ghastly fences separating North and South Korea is a marvel. When Spring Comes to the DMZ will really open the rest of the world's eyes to what the Korean ppl have to endure. I hope every school and library in the U.S. will buy a copy of this important work. I must add the illustrations are some of the greatest I have ever seen. They are reminiscent of the most important classic illustrators of the 40's and 50's as well as many of today's current masters. The spread with the baby goat is astonishingly poignant.

[Chinook · Rating 5 out of 5]

After living in South Korea for a decade, I’m often surprised by how little people know about the country. This children’s book illustrates a feature of the DMZ that most likely hadn’t heard of - it’s a haven for wildlife. My daughters enjoyed the illustrations, which are gorgeous, and while they are a bit young to comprehend the Korean War and the division of the country, they seemed very interested in the story of Grandfather missing his home. This is one to buy a paper copy of, for sure.

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only thing I've had brain power for this week (in the recreational reading department) is this picture book. And, yeah, it's about the DMZ... not perhaps what you would immediately reach for when thinking of nice, pleasant children's picture books. It just happened to be next on my list from NetGalley. As it turns out, I thought it was pretty good. It is beautifully illustrated and simply written.

The DMZ, or demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, has become an unexpected sort of wildlife refuge, since it is virtually impassable to humans, kept out by their own gates, bars, and wire. The animals are at peace. The humans only long to be.

The book splits its small narrative between the animal activities throughout the year, and the comings and goings of "Grandpa," who approaches the border every now and then in contemplation of where he came from. It is a simple, heartfelt way of illustrating the situation to young people without being grim or bogged down in news. I enjoyed the emphasis on nature, and the basic similarity of people no matter where they live.

[Rebekah Giese Witherspoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This children’s picture book is touching and poignant. It focuses on the peacefulness of the animals who thrive in the DMZ (demilitarized zone) between North Korea and South Korea. We see lovely drawings of these little creatures contentedly nurturing their families and building their homes, blissfully unaware of the fact that they live within two barbed wire barricades.

Grandfather, on the other hand, is constantly aware of the wall that divides him from the rest of his family. Spring, summer, autumn, and winter, Grandfather goes to the wall and looks toward the north, longing for his home and his family.

The book ends with a beautiful vision of hope, a land with no walls where Grandfather can hug his family, surrounded by the happy little animals.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Plough Publishing for a digital advance review copy.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written and illustrated book. Over the course of a year we see how the division between North and South Korea affects both the people and the animals who live there. The illustrations are delightful and lively. The character of Grandfather embodies all those who have been impacted by the separation. We live in a global society and a book like When Spring Comes to the DMZ is a valuable tool for parents or teachers who wish to help children understand the life and history of other cultures and peoples.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance reader copy of this book.

[Sylvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Spring Comes to the DMZ is a lyrical and beautiful picture book about the wildlife that's found in the Korean demilitarized zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea, and the story of an old man who goes periodically to the lookout on the South Korea side to look at his old home in the north. The author and illustrator juxtapose the freedom of the birds and animals with the barbed wire and military exercises of people in a poignant and moving book.

[KC · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a young boy and his grandfather set out for a days hike, they stumble upon the beauty surrounding Korea's demilitarized zone. The illustrations are bright, colorful and full of life. Thank you to Plough Publishing for the physical Advanced Reading Copy.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The DMZ on the Korean Peninsula separates North and South Korea. It is a space of land where people are not allowed to cross and has become a wildlife sanctuary over the 65 years that it has stood. The DMZ stretches 154 miles from the Yellow Sea to the Sea of Japan. While there are no soldiers inside the DMZ, there are heavily armed soldiers on either side and miles of barbed wire fencing. In this picture book, the seasons turn in the DMZ and wildlife flourishes each of those seasons. Meanwhile, a grandfather makes the climb up to view the DMZ each season, looking at the land he once lived on. Against the pastoral backdrop of the nature in the DMZ are the movements of the troops on both sides, drilling and maneuvering.

Lee has created a picture book that embraces the complexities of the Korean Peninsula. He shows the impact the creation of the two nations has had on residents and the ongoing constant military presence in their lives. At the same time, Lee focuses too on the wildlife, animals, birds, fish and plants that are finding footing in the DMZ, some of them almost extinct elsewhere. It is a picture book that shows the hope of peace, the importance of space for native creatures and plants, and the impact of war.

The illustrations by Lee are beautiful. They capture the Korean landscape with the mountains in the background, the miles of barbed wire, and the lushness of the DMZ complete with rusting machinery. Turning from one page to the next, readers experience the beauty of nature and then the oppressiveness of the soldiers’ presence.

A complex and intelligent look at war and peace in our world. Appropriate for ages 5-8.

https://wakingbraincells.com/2019/04/...

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uk-Bae Lee does an excellent job creating a children's book gentle enough to introduce the conversation regarding the divide of South Korea and the North Korea--which, I hope that any children that I would ever have would care about (mostly because I care so much about what God is doing there), without over introduction to the terrible reality that has ripped apart the two countries and has isolated an entire population under a totalitarian dictator. (Wow, that was a really long sentience for a children's book review! Sorry!)

The artwork is gentle and sweet as it walks us through the season changes across the DMZ along with the introduction to the grandfather that longingly looks across the divide. Amid pictures of fish and birds the barbed wire that characterizes the DMZ's edges pokes through.

The author, Uk-Bae Lee is a part of a collaboration of other writers and illustrators that wants to introduce children to peace and the hopes for it. This book is a part of that.

With a push for multicultural education I appreciate that this book doesn't work to scare children but introduces the reality gently. This might not be your child's favorite book, and that is fine, but it could start conversations about what is happening in another part of the world. Lee has also added some information after the story for parents (or the questioning child) about the how the divide began as well as what is currently happening across the mile and a half of land separating the North from the South.

I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Spring Comes to The DMZ by Uk-Bae Lee is a surprise of the best kind. Children in Korea definitely deserve this one (and it has been available in Korean since 2010), but I'm glad that even those who do not read Korean will be able to access this picture book now.

The illustrations are genuinely breathtaking, with a soft light to them that makes them incredibly easy on the eye. The style actually reminds me of books I enjoyed in my own childhood, and I think adults and children alike will find comfort in it.

I really enjoyed the way the story went through each season in the DMZ. It allows the reader to fully experience the wildlife haven that this area has become over the years, and to see the types of wildlife that have been able to thrive in this sanctuary. I didn't expect to see the character of Grandfather, longing for his home, as part of each season, but it made a lot of sense to see him. I think it's a beautiful way to show that although there is beauty in the DMZ, there is still intense trauma in a divide that need not exist.

I definitely recommend this picture book for all ages. I think it's an important look into a complex issue, as well as a lovely display of nature and seasonal changes.

[Paul Franco · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has to be the strangest idea for a children’s book. . . maybe not so much for a kid growing up in South Korea, but still. . .
Vegetation and animals can do whatever they want at the border’s no-man’s-land, but not people. A grandfather is a unifying figure in the story, as he climbs to the observatory to take in the view over and over. The reader is led to believe he’s looking at the landscape and all the animals described, but of course it’s so much more than that.
Despite the small article in the back, a parent should be prepared to explain to the young reader why grandfather can’t go over there.
Best part of this is the artwork, done in the beautiful style of this part of the world.
3.5 pushed up to 4/5

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Not only is this an a compelling and beautiful book, it kindled an interest in me to dig deeper and see the evolution of the DMZ and the two separate countries of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea.

What a way to get people interested in history and the issues facing the peoples of North and South Korea!

Recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and Plough Publishing for a copy in return for an honest review.

[Karen Arendt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a simple yet powerful story of the demilitarized zone between South Korea and North Korea. The effects of war on people are widely felt, yet hope still exists in the blossoming of flowers and changes of the seasons.

[January Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do yourself and your children a HUGE favor and buy this book! Amazing isn't the right word to describe it! It is beyond amazing!

This will stay in you and your child's memory for a very long time!

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not at all what I was thinking.

[Sierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

"When spring comes to the DMZ, green shoots spring up in the meadows. But you cannot go there because the razor wire fence is blocking the way."

Uk-Bae Lee's When Spring Comes to the DMZ is a hopeful story of peace amidst ongoing conflict. The book illustrates the untouched oasis of Korea's demilitarized zone, a 250-km long and 4-km wide restricted area that separates North and South Korea. Because the area is restricted, the nature thrives and the animals roam freely.

What I love most about this book are the illustrations. They depict beautiful scenery such as mountains, valleys, and animals reveling in the nature, but they are contrasted by a wire fence that seems to stretch on forever and soldiers in training. The text also focuses on a grandpa who visits the DMZ observatory throughout the seasons and looks at the northern land and sky, wishing that he could push the locked, heavily-guarded gates open and unite the land and people.

Young readers (K-2) would definitely require some background knowledge before reading the text (after finishing the book, I had to do some more research). I think it would also be a good opportunity to have students discuss some of the book's themes/messages. For instance, students could discuss why the grandpa always goes to the observatory, why the animals have freedom, but the people do not, and/or the importance of peace. Teachers could even share real-life images of the DMZ to show students what it looks like.

My local library did not carry this book, but I was able to find a video of the story being read and the illustrations showed up close. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3plL2...