Written by Jungyoon Huh
Illustrated by Myungae Lee
Translated by Aerin Park
Published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
Mom's Review
I absolutely love Late Today, which tells the story of a kitten rescue that causes a traffic jam resulting in late arrivals to work and school.
As driver after driver passes the kitten, tension rises. The reader wonders, "Where are Huh and Lee going with this?" Each passer-by who lets the kitten be the next person's problem offers thoughts (and prayers, perhaps?) and is described as not having the "courage" to help. We can readily recognize the kitten as a stand-in for any vulnerable group. When someone does finally stop, it is only after hesitation. And when they do stop, they are afraid it may already be too late. Late Today is a brilliant allegory for children about the impact of taking action even when no one else does, even if you hesitate at first. One can make a difference. The narrator generously says that everyone was fine with being late since the kitten was saved, and my cynical self says, "Oh no they weren't!," but I really do appreciate that the narrator models giving other the benefit of the doubt in what is demonstrably an uncomfortable situation.
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