The Mysterious Stream
Region: East Asia, Korea
Author: F.B. Smitt
Original Language: English, Korean
Translator: Translated by the author
Illustrator: Jessica Liu
Genre: Folktales
Descriptors: babies; fountain of youth; magic; old couples
Age: 4-8 years old
Review
Based on a Korean folktale, The Mysterious Stream tells the story of a kind old couple in the countryside who wish they had a child. One day while the old man is out gathering firewood, he follows a little songbird to a stream and takes a drink. When he returns home a young man, the couple realizes they have discovered the fountain of youth. Their grumpy neighbor catches on and runs to the stream to drink as well, but greedily drinks too much and is turned into a newborn baby. The couple decides to raise him as their own child and give him lots of love. The Mysterious Stream is a heart-warming tale told in both English and Korean. The digital illustrations by Jessica Liu are colorful and just as charming as the story. Children between the ages of 4 to 8 years old are sure to love this story with universal appeal.
More About This Book
Reviewed: e-book by Eeyagi Tales (2018). ISBN: 9781732767928, 1732767920. 38 p.
Resources:
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27919791-the-mysterious-stream
Publisher: https://www.eeyagitales.com/the-mysterious-stream-1
Reviewed by Leah Byrnes