A mysterious new doorway in their grandmother’s room and some equally mysterious paw prints lead Joon and Noona into a land of mischievous and snack-loving animals, and into the world of the traditional Korean folk tales Seattle’s Julie Kim heard as a child. Her retellings (and her exquisitely beautiful illustrations) combine the magic and mischief of those stories with a modern goofiness that fits their mood perfectly (in my favorite image, a giant dokkebi goblin happily sips from Joon’s tiny juice box). I hope that wily, unassuming grandma (or Halmoni, in Korean) has some more tales up her sleeve. (3 and up)
—Tom Nissley, Phinney Books, Seattle, WA
Find mysterious doorways aplenty at Phinney Books and other independent bookstores.