(English) My Dad Is Kidnapped by a Brown Bear
A picture book of sympathy and consolation for every mother in the world who lives like a brown bear!
My mom, who goes crimson when getting mad and makes our house topsy-turvy every morning, has a nickname, Brown Bear. Being chased by the Brown Bear, I go to school and write a poem, My Family, in which I readily list why I like dad, my little brother, and our cat, but write, “I see no reason to like my mom.” Since, I started to look for reasons to like mom, dad told me that she was indeed a real brown bear and a surprising story ensued. While being confused, I visited grandma’s house where I discovered the old pictures of mom which astonished me. How cute a baby and how slim a lady mom was. After looking at the picture of the child that looks just like me for a while, I figured out why mom has become who she is. The next day, I go to school, still being chased by mom, and rewrite my poem to include the reasons why I like her.
Having worked together in I Will Never Talk with You for a Million Years, the author Heo Eunmi and the illustrator Kim Jinwha create in this book, as their second collaboration, even more beautiful harmony. Heo Eunmi, the author, who has represented the innermost feelings of children by digging out topics from the conversation with her daughter, now unravels the story of a mom, reflected in the eyes and heart of a child. “Mom, you are a brown bear. Dad is a poor man captured by a brown bear.” was what Heo’s daughter said once and that's where the story started. In this story, you will find not only the life of the author herself as a working mom but the stories of every mom in the world who are willingly living as a brown bear. An illustrator who dashingly presents original interpretations and imagination, Kim Jinwha enriches and vivifies the story by adding specific atmosphere and impression of space for each scene using watercolors, collage, and engraving. Kim’s bold strokes make the mom character alive and transcend time and space to bring us to a deep forest where a brown bear could jump out at any moment. The clever and refined style of painting animates the story. Written in a joyous and dreamy tone overall, the story will certainly move you and likely put a smile on your face. This book will attract you with its charm as a picture book and the text and illustrations form a memorable harmony.
(Japanese) ヒグマに捕まったパパ
怒ると顔がヒグマのように真っ赤になり、毎朝怒鳴るママのあだ名はヒグマ。学校で「私たちの家族」という詩を作ることになり、お父さん、弟、猫が好きだってことはいくらでも書けるのに、「お母さんは好きなのかわからない」と書いた私。そんな時、祖母の家で結婚前のお母さんの昔の写真を見てびっくり。そこには私にそっくりな女の子が映っていた。次の日、学校に行って私は詩を書き直した。本はユーモラスな文章と幻想的な絵で構成されており、笑いのあとにほのぼのとした共感が生まれる。ママ達にはほのぼのとした癒しになり、子どもたちはパパとママの話を聞きたくなる楽しい絵本。
