The Red Fruit

by Lee Gee Eun

Overview

Baby Bear is off exploring on his own.

Tok!

Now what’s this that just hit his head? Mmmm…it’s a delicious red fruit. He must get more.

Up, up, up, to the top of the forest.

Hello Caterpillar! Hello Squirrel! Hello Bees!

Now what is that?

Why, it’s the biggest red fruit of all! Baby Bear must have it. He leeeaaaps…

From award-winning Korean illustrator Lee Gee Eun comes a gorgeously illustrated story – delightful at every beat – about first discoveries and always landing in a safe place.

P R A I S E

★ “Economically drawn and narrated, this translated work from Korea spotlights a bear cub’s naivete and determination… Beautifully transcends its seeming simplicity.”
—Kirkus (starred)

“Perfect for pre- and emerging readers… Playful.”
—Horn Book

“Children follow a baby bear on an adventure to find more of the delicious red fruit that has fallen to the ground… young readers will relish joining in the journey. The tale lends itself to an easy storytelling session.”
—School Library Journal 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781646147007
Publisher:	Levine Querido
Publication date:	11/28/2023
Pages:	64
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 11.75(h) x (d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Lee Gee Eun is an author and illustrator from Korea who has won numerous international honors, including the BolognaRagazzi award and the Korean Young Illustrator Award. You can follow her at @studio_geeeun.

Editorial Reviews

[STAR] “Economically drawn and narrated, this translated work from Korea spotlights a bear cub’s naivete and determination… Beautifully transcends its seeming simplicity.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred)

“Children follow a baby bear on an adventure to find more of the delicious red fruit that has fallen to the ground… young readers will relish joining in the journey. The tale lends itself to an easy storytelling session.” — School Library Journal 

“Perfect for pre- and emerging readers… Playful.” — Horn Book

From the Publisher

★ 2023-08-12
Economically drawn and narrated, this translated work from Korea spotlights a bear cub’s naïveté and determination.

An italicized, scene-setting line of text appears against a page depicting snow, tall conifers, and the bear cub’s tracks: “Baby bear got up early, by himself.” “Tok”—a red fruit bounces off the hungry cub’s head. Finding the morsel delicious, the bear declares, “I want to eat more.” He begins to climb, successively encountering three red shapes that initially appear to be more tantalizing fruit but reveal themselves to be a caterpillar, a squirrel, and a beehive. As the cub climbs, the perspective shifts between close- and mid-range spreads and long views of his diminutive form amid the pine forest. At the very top, the bear sees “nothing.” But the setting sun’s red blaze tints the branches, catching his eye. “It looks delicious!” Leaping, he falls—first, backlit against the huge orb, then past beehive, squirrel, and caterpillar into the voluminous embrace of a parent, waiting with two other cubs and piles of red fruit. Rendered in inky, grainy gradations of gray-to-black, accented with red and yellow, Lee’s pictures capture the forest’s beauty, evoking traditional brush painting. The bears’ spreading pads and claws seem as significant as their physiognomy—which nonetheless quietly conveys sensations of curiosity, satiety, surprise, and (in the parent bear) implacable aplomb. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Beautifully transcends its seeming simplicity. (Picture book. 3-8)

Kirkus Reviews