Book Review: Blue Sky Morning by Kim Jihyun and translated by Polly Lawson

I received a review copy of this book from Floris Books via Edelweiss for which my thanks.

I was absolutely captivated by Kim Jihyun’s The Depth of the Lake and the Height of Sky a couple of years ago, a book which without a line of text, gets readers to experience the story or more specifically the atmosphere of serenity and beauty she creates, as a young boy (with his parents and dog) travels away from the city to spend the holiday with his grandparents in the countryside.

When I saw Blue Sky Morning, I knew I had to pick it up, even though the Edelweiss listing this time was missing the plot description or any details. Blue Sky Morning is based around the same ethic as Depth, that of slowing down, taking a moment to notice the things around one rather than being lost in the incessant rush that defines current-day living. Depth was about being getting away from noisy city life, Blue Sky Morning is finding calm and beauty in the midst of everyday life and this story comes with some lines of text unlike Depth.

The premise once again is simple. We follow little Eunny who lives with her mother and grandparents (other family do not appear in the story aside from a younger sibling) as she wakes up, has breakfast and heads to school as her mother does to work. In other words, an ordinary day. But as Eunny wakes, she does simply rush into her day, she is encouraged to take things slowly—on waking up, for instance, stopping and noticing the town waking up too and people starting their day. Grandma makes them eggs for breakfast and then Eunny and her mother set off, Eunny to school and her mother to work, the two sharing their walk to her mother’s bus stop, round the corner from her school. On this walk too, they must take the time to notice—feel the cool and fresh air as they step out, take a breath, look at the pink petals opening around them. While others might be hurrying along, she must stop and look—at the blue sky above; at the leaves taking on autumn colours; take in the happiness felt walking with Mama and again at meeting her school friend. The idea comes from Kim Jihyun’s own life with her daughter Eunny in Seongbuk-dong in Seoul.

Like Eunny, the book without saying it encourages us to ‘stop and smell the roses’ quite literally too—the little moments of joy that nature gives us or even the routine time spent with loved ones—life doesn’t have to be about the constant hurrying about and it’s very much up to us to enjoy what it offers or not. Big gestures or special occasions don’t come every day, life must be lived, but even those few minutes spent speaking to or just sitting with a loved one, looking at flowers in bloom or green trees, or listening to birdsong can bring joy into the ordinary day

Kim Jihyun’s artwork is beautiful as was the case in Depth, though here she uses the full colour palette, working with watercolour, coloured pencils and pencil. The pictures are of everyday scenes, the different rooms in Eunny’s home, the street on which they walk down to the bus stop/school, people rushing by—the flowers and leaves around—but despite being ordinary and every day, highlight the beauty that’s always present and manages to (and least as I saw it) convey a sense of calm too—one can see others going about at their usual pace but Eunny taking the time to notice things, to take in the experience of walking with her mother and such. (I of course also noticed the cats sitting on the wall as Eunny walks into school with her friend). Because of the confusion with the Edelweiss listing, this time I’m sadly unable to share any of the lovely illustrations (I haven’t a clue how to do this from the Kindle copy).

Another beautiful read from Kim Jihyun, once again intended for children, but which I think as with the last book, is one which will be better appreciated by older readers.

Book details: Floris Books, 2024; pp 36; release date 19 September 2024

Cover image via Floris Books