SPECIAL MENTION
모 이야기 (Mo Story)
Atnoonbooks
South Korea
Text and Illustrations by Yeonju Choi
What the jury said:
On a sleepless night, little kitten Mo follows a gleaming light outside the window and embarks on an adventure through the forest. As Mo walks through the woods, he encounters friendly forest friends, through whom the kitten learns various pieces of wisdom. However, all of the forest animals caution Mo to watch out for the bear living in the dark forest. Mo imagines a terrifying bear. Will little kitten Mo be able to find the gleaming light without encountering the scary bear?
This debut strikingly combines classic and modern elements in a small, exquisitely cloth-bound format. Inspired by the author’s real-life cat (which even has its own social media profile), the book features a remarkable cat lead character named Mo. The book is infused with humorous, high-quality, detailed, surprising and dynamic illustrations that narratively explore the role of imagination. The book’s unusual, at times dreamlike composition showcases a wide array of knowledgeably and unpredictably depicted animals and natural elements. Benefitting from significant editorial investment, the work overflows with the lead character’s strong personality, uniquely blending high-brow references (the illustrations of Beatrix Potter) with a style reminiscent of the American comics tradition, as well as referencing numerous bears from children’s literature.