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WHEN FATHER COMES HOME by Sarah Jung

WHEN FATHER COMES HOME

by Sarah Jung ; illustrated by Sarah Jung

Pub Date: Nov. 10th, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-338-35570-3
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic

A young Korean boy’s feeling of longing is captured in this story of a father who works far away from his family.

“Will Father come home tomorrow?” asks June, a young Korean boy, of his mother. Curiously, a photo of the father dreamily transforms in the accompanying illustration into the shape of a goose flying across the sky. The next day, June and his older brother, Hyun, return from school, rushing into the arms of a goose dressed in a shirt and tie. Scenes of a happy family quickly pass by, with the affectionate father consistently depicted as an anthropomorphic goose. Soon enough, there is “a goodbye that happens often,” as June embraces his father before he flies away again. The author’s note reveals the Korean phrase, gireogi appa, which literally means goose dad. (Literal-minded readers befuddled by the goose symbolism might wish this information had appeared in an introduction.) Jung describes a lifestyle in which fathers work and live apart from their families to provide for their children’s education. The sacrifice, however noble, has consequences. Debut author/illustrator Jung captures the tender emotions through images in a warm color palette of peaches and browns. The writing, however, lacks cohesion, with limited flow between the pages. Still, the pain of missing a parent, which this book captures, is one many children will recognize.

Striking illustrations carry the load in this heartfelt story of parental absence.

(Picture book. 4-8)