SUKA'S FARM

During the Japanese occupation of Korea, a young boy finds a way to help his family.

Kwan lives on a quiet mountainside in 1941. Whether his family eats depends on what his father, a woodcarver, and his mother, a painter, can sell at the farmers market. After Kwan overhears his parents worrying over the lack of food in their onggi pot, he ignores their warnings to stay away from Suka’s Farm and approaches the old Japanese man for a job, introducing himself as Aoki—his legally assigned Japanese name. Cantankerous Mr. Suka initially turns Kwan down but finally lets him help care for the goats. Bit by bit, Kwan chips away at Mr. Suka’s harsh exterior with persistence and kindness that the old man eventually returns. Kwan solidifies Mr. Suka’s respect when he recovers the goats after they go missing, and Mr. Suka asks Kwan to tell him his real, Korean name. The well-paced narrative artfully weaves in Korean terms and cultural references, such as the children’s song “Santoki,” which Kwan’s parents sing on the way to market and Kwan whistles to entice the goats. Chen uses soft washes and blends of bright colors to bring warmth to the detailed landscapes and cartoon portraits. In an authors’ note, the Parks explain that they drew inspiration from their father’s experiences working on a goat farm as a child.

A gentle tale and a rare personal glimpse into a tumultuous period of Korean history.