The Horn Book Guide

PICTURE BOOKS

Reibstein, Mark

Yugen

32 pp. | Seven/Triangle | September, 2018 | Trade ISBN 978-1-60980-865-5 $17.95

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Ed Young. The author's note says, "'Yugen' is a Japanese term for the 'subtle and profound.'" It's also the nickname of Eugene, who longs for his Japanese mother whom he's now lost for the second time in his young life. In haunting first-person haiku (narrated by the boy) and mysterious charcoal sketches on textured backgrounds, the creators of this unusual book provide a unique experience for deep readers of various ages.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt