THE CLOCK SPA

In this South Korean import, a young child’s mother turns into a clock.

Mama is time-obsessed: 10 minutes to get ready, three minutes until lights out, one minute for the youngster to drop the book and sleep. The hassled child “wish[es] she would just stop talking,” and she does: In the morning, Mama is silent because she’s metamorphosed into a clock overnight. The relieved child eats breakfast slowly, reads at the table, and arrives late for school. Yet when the youngster returns home, “Mama is still at the table. She has stopped completely.” After a frantic but unfruitful call to rescue services, the child leaves with Mama in tow, in search of “a place that fixes clocks.” Alas, the shop is closed, but the clock lady recommends taking Mama to the “clock spa.” The intrepid child embarks on a herculean quest to revive Mama. With this whimsical adventure, Kwon has crafted a clever cautionary tale about the dangers of burnout that also acknowledges a child’s unconditional love (and need) for their parents. Kwon’s delightful full-color illustrations are rife with unexpected details—a side-eyeing kitty, anthropomorphized trees reaching out, a ramshackle bridge with alligators below. Clocks are inserted everywhere—a reminder of life’s relentless pace—including an amusing homage to Dalí’s timepieces, melting in exhaustion. All characters are cued East Asian.

A charming and timely reminder to step away and unwind.