Review - Little Mole's Wish

Little Mole's Wish
by Sang-Keun Kim
Date: 2019
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

With echoes of Raymond Briggs's classic The Snowman, here is a magical, timeless story about the friendship between a lonely little mole and a snowball he molds into a bear that comes to life.

Little Mole is new in town, and he's lonely. On his way home from school on a winter day, he rolls a snowball all the way to the bus stop. He tells it his problems and grows very attached. But when Little Mole tries to take the snowball home with him on the bus, the driver refuses and leaves without them. So Little Mole comes up with a plan: mold the snowball into a bear. Surely that will do the trick? After much effort, he finally convinces a bus driver to pick them up. The bus is warm and cozy, and Little Mole falls asleep. But we all know what happens to snowballs when they get warm. . . . Luckily, Grandma is waiting at home, and she finds a way to return her grandson's new friend to him. With a classic, timeless feel and stunning illustrations, this heartwarming story of friendship and love is full of mood, atmosphere, and poignancy.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a cute little story about a lonely mole and his "friend". On his way home from school, Little Mole confides in a snowball that he's new in town and doesn't yet have any friends. The snowball listens. Encouraged, Little Mole builds up the snowball and rolls it to the bus stop. But the bus driver won't let him bring a snowball on board, and he drives away. Little Mole has the brilliant idea to turn the snowball into a bear, but the next bus driver who comes along sees right through the illusion and refuses to let them get on. It isn't until Little Mole dresses the snow bear in his hat that the third bus driver finally lets them on. Unfortunately, the bus is toasty and warm, and when Little Mole wakes up at his stop, his "friend" is gone. He goes home and tells his grandmother all about his day... and wakes up in the morning to a sweet surprise.

The story is simple, but effective. The illustrations are what really shine here, though. From the gentle colour palette to the various animal bus drivers, everything speaks to the feeling of a soft, snowy day. I couldn't help but feel sorry for Little Mole (what kind of bus driver leaves a child by himself in the snow and drives off?!) but everything turned out all right in the end.

If you're looking for a winter picture book that doesn't have a holiday theme, this is a charming one to try.

Quotable moment:

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.83 out of 5