Suka's farm

Set in 1941 and inspired by the authors' family history, this historical picture book features a young Korean boy named Kwan, who faces a life of hardship under Japanese occupation. With his family running out of rice to eat, Kwan bravely seeks to work with a local Japanese farmer in exchange for food. The farmer, Mr. Suka, initially accepts the boy's request begrudgingly, but, prompted by Kwan's generosity, cheerfulness, and hard work, soon begins to treat him kindly. The book is gentle and only hints at the brutality of the Japanese occupation against the Korean population, including starvation and the imposition of the Japanese language. For example, Kwan originally introduces himself to Mr. Suka with his Japanese name, but, in a sign of acceptance and true friendship, Mr. Suka eventually asks for his true Korean name. Colorful illustrations evoke the setting and characters and give the story a cheerful aspect. Despite the story's happy ending, adults may detect a troubling or bittersweet note in context.

During the Japanese occupation of Korea, a young boy finds a way to help his family. Kwan lives on a quiet mountainside in 1941. Whether his family eats depends on what his father, a woodcarver, and his mother, a painter, can sell at the farmers market. After Kwan overhears his parents worrying over the lack of food in their onggi pot, he ignores their warnings to stay away from Suka's Farm and approaches the old Japanese man for a job, introducing himself as Aoki--his legally assigned Japanese name. Cantankerous Mr. Suka initially turns Kwan down but finally lets him help care for the goats. Bit by bit, Kwan chips away at Mr. Suka's harsh exterior with persistence and kindness that the old man eventually returns. Kwan solidifies Mr. Suka's respect when he recovers the goats after they go missing, and Mr. Suka asks Kwan to tell him his real, Korean name. The well-paced narrative artfully weaves in Korean terms and cultural references, such as the children's song "Santoki," which Kwan's parents sing on the way to market and Kwan whistles to entice the goats. Chen uses soft washes and blends of bright colors to bring warmth to the detailed landscapes and cartoon portraits. In an authors' note, the Parks explain that they drew inspiration from their father's experiences working on a goat farm as a child. A gentle tale and a rare personal glimpse into a tumultuous period of Korean history. (glossary)(Picture book. 5-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.