Once Upon an Hour
Ann Yu-Kyung Choi, illustrated by Soyeon Kim
"But how do you know it's bedtime?"
Yu-Rhee, a young Korean girl, wants to know how to tell time using a clock. Her mother tells her a tale from her childhood based on the traditional Korean practice of timekeeping, where the 12 animals of the zodiac are assigned to 2-hour sections of the 24-hour clock.
Told from the point of view of a mountain, the story follows a child as they climb the mountainside in search of a plant to heal their ailing mother. The climb is steep, the path wild and the way difficult.
The mountain watches the child struggle and calls on the animals that live on the mountainside to help the child, but as sunlight turns to moonlight, each animal claims to be too busy.
Ultimately, Once Upon an Hour is a story about determination and teamwork that shows young readers the importance of helping others. (From Orca Book Publishers)
Ann Yu-Kyung Choi is a Canadian author originally from South Korea. Her debut novel Kay's Lucky Coin Variety was published in 2016.
Soyeon Kim is a Toronto-based, Korean-born artist and illustrator. She also illustrated A Last Goodbye, You Are Stardust and Wild Ideas, all by Elin Kelsey.
Comments
To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted.
By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.
Become a CBC Account Holder
Join the conversation Create account
Already have an account?