In Blossom

The story is very sweet and simple a cat and dog meet on a bench over lunch in spring and become friends. It’s a story about spring bringing new life, new friends. The art work is simply stunning and very nostalgic. This is a wonderful story children will adore and with it being a cat and dog be more enchanting to them.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

In Blossom is a short picture book that tells the story of a cat and a dog and how they met on "a sun twinkling and breeze blowing day". Interesting story and beautiful artwork.

Thank you to Cheon Yooju, Quarto Publishing Group - Lincoln Children's Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Beautiful little illustrations in this story about a cat, a dog and the joys of spring in the park. My daughter, 5, especially loved this as she’s a huge fan of animal stories and this one was highly engaging. The illustrations really do transport you into a springtime park, and it was quirky enough to keep mum amused too.

I saw the cover for this book and immediately wanted to read it. I’ve had cats and dogs for years but they never sat down together to enjoy a meal and a spring day plus I’m not sure they’d have been this well mannered. What could be more charming than a cat eating her gimbap from her doshirak using chopsticks as a breeze gently wafts a blossom her way? I wonder what book dog is reading. I do know that they’ve each made a wonderful new friend in this sweet and gentle story which I think older children would enjoy. B

My Thoughts

When I saw the beautiful cover for this book, I was entranced and thought it would be lovely to read. It looked to be a volume of beauty with a sweet tale to compliment.

In this short tale, the illustrations are sublime. Minimalist beauty - sweet and pointed - with expressions captured wonderfully well.

The story itself, whilst endearing, is just too short. I wanted more. A start was made about a sweet encounter one spring day but I feel it’s abrupt ending left me hanging. For children’s literature, a little more dialogue would have been beneficial.

The beauty in the book’s illustrations is a definite winner, however, I just needed more elaboration to go with it.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

I don't usually like picture books with so little story, but this one is just so gentle and relaxing and sweet. Cat and Dog are strangers who meet in a park under a blossoming tree. Cat is eating her lunch and Dog is reading his book. A solitary petal falls, breaking the ice between the two and acting as the catalyst for a new friendship.

The pictures are really cute. I love how Cat is eating her lunch of sushi (with chopsticks! How does a cat even use chopsticks?!) and Dog is a scholarly little fellow. The mostly monochromatic look is broken up by the softest touches of pink, and even a little green. It's a pretty book to look at, although I'm not sure if it'll appeal to kids who like their colours a little more vibrant.

All in all, this is a pleasant little picture book celebrating spring and new friendships. I'd definitely recommend it!

In Blossom is a short simple sweet story of a cat and dog having lunch under a blossoming tree. Young children would probably enjoy this sweet reminder to slow down and enjoy the simple things in life occasionally. Perfect to read during springtime. 💕🍃

***Thank you Quarto Publishing Group and Netgalley for allowing me to read this little beauty.***

An exceptionally illustrated look at the simple things in life that we often take for granted. Highly recommended for early readers.

This book is sort of a zen study on stillness.

A dog and a cat eat lunch or read together, on a bench, where the cherry blossoms fall upon each one, as they flick it off.

<img src="https://g2comm.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Screen-Shot-2019-01-16-at-11.13.01-PM.png" alt="in blossom" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4899" />

It is the way they finally acknowledge each other, and the cat shares her lunch with the dog.

It is a spring sort of soft story.

Other than the falling blossoms, I would not read more into it.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

In Blossom is a sweet take of blooming friendship amongst the spring trees. Dog and Cat both have plans but they make room for one another on this Sun twinkling and breeze blowing kind of day. Quiet but impact illustrations help tell this gentle story.

In Blossom by Cheon Yooju published by Lincoln Children's books is a wonderful, tender story about the power of friendship, love, and...spring.
It's a day like another one when a female cat decides to go to the park bringing with her something to eat. You know: cats are famous for eating and sleeping. These ones are their most famous characteristics. Sun was shining, the day was tender.
The cat sat all alone lost on her thoughts on that bench, eating some bites of the food she brought from home when at a certain point, with great calm, a very interesting male dog, someone of culture, apparently had the same idea: going out from his house for a little bit, because of the beautiful day, for reading on a bench. A good and pleasant luxury.
At first the two are a bit surprised to find another one sat on the bench, but, at the same time they are curious; the dog at a certain point tries to "spying" what the female cat does, helped by the impression that he was reading. The female cat at the same time time thinks that the reading dog is interesting and it would be nice to start a conversation with him but...How to start a conversation, where possible?
Spring will be of great great help, removing all barriers. They will soon become good friends. The female cat, in fact, with a happy intuition will offer at the dog her food and it will be the beginning of a great friendship.

It's a tender, delicate children's book this one who wants to stimulate parents and children at a good and profound renewal, stimulating acceptance, differences of visions and hobbies; it's a children's book this one that want to let us understand that we can all be friends.

I thank NetGalley for the digital copy of this eBook.

<b>4 stars</b>

*Thank you to the author and NetGalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

This was such a charming and cute story - It was very visually pleasing, and the only criticism I have is that it was too short!

A sweet little Children's book about spring and new friendships. Love the illustrations and the simplicity of the story. Yes, cats and dogs can be friends. I especially loved that the cat was eating sushi and offered to share. I think this book would be great to help spark a child's imagination. I know it did mine.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

‘In blossom’ is a gentle and dreamy book with gorgeous minimalist pictures. It has this uncanny ability to take you from the whirlwind of emotions you have been experiencing and transport you into a spring garden on a ’breeze-blowing’, ‘sun-twinkling day’.
There are two characters in the book. Cat has just found a perfect spot for her picnic. She moves her lunch on the bench to make space for Dog who is there to read his book. A falling petal lands on, first, Cat’s nose, then, Dog’s one. Cat offers her lunch, which is gratefully accepted by Dog. This might be the beginning of a beautiful friendship or it might be just one of those lovely shared experiences that stay in our memory even if we do not see the person again.
You need to read books like these to your child if you want to develop their range of emotions. Sometimes you need something pacey with bright vibrant colours. Other times you need something sweet, soft, and tender if you want them to learn to appreciate the beauty of a spring day.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lincoln Children’s Books for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

'In Blossom' by Cheon Yooju is a simple picture book, but it's gentle hush sets the tone for my favorite kind of picture books.

Cat and dog meet on a bench. Cat is eating her lunch of sushi. Dog is engrossed in reading his book. A blossom falls between them, and before long, it looks like these two strangers will become friends.

The illustrations are really nice. The color is used sparsely and to great effect. The story is quiet and beautiful in tone. I really liked this picture book for young readers.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Quarto Publishing-Lincoln Children's Books, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

I have to confess up front that I had no idea if this author's first name was Cheon or Yooju. Net Galley has her name as "Cheon Yooju", but the book cover has it as "Yooju Cheon," and the book cover is in English, so did this mean that her last name was Cheon? Fortunately, my local library, which has this book, came to my rescue because it has her name listed as by "Yooju, Cheon" - so there you have it! Last name is Yooju! How confused we are in the west about Eastern practices and culture, huh?!

Anyway, I was charmed by Cheon Yooju's book which features simple, but beautifully elegant illustrations, sparse, but meaning-laden text, and drawings (by Cheon Yooju) which effectively conveyed as many words as the text did. Dog meets cat and rather than fight with the cat ending up a tree, they both sit on a bench under the tree and enjoy the breeze and the blossoms falling, and then...something clicks! I loved it and I commend Cheon Yooju's work as a worthy read and a worthy art work. And now I hold the record for most uses of Cheon Yooju's name in a review! Yeay me! (And yeay Cheon Yooju!)

A picture book with all the concision of a haiku, this simple tale shows the birth of friendship as Cat and Dog meet one spring day. Some will call it out as too slight for their tastes, but I liked this gentle little piece of art. Lovely illustrations complement the simplicity of the text and story, too. A strong four stars.

This little book is a gem! It was so nice to read about spring and the little sweet things in life. I'm sure it will make a lot of people happy and aware of the beauty of spring.
The pictures are as perfect as the spring itself. Would love to read tons of picture books from this author. Lovely!

A simple story about the beauty of spring and the beginning of a friendship, In Blossom is a short, easy read for beginner readers. Don’t be deceived though, the short nature of it doesn’t mean there isn’t things for children to appreciate and learn from it. An appreciation for nature, being polite, and learning to make friends can all be gleaned from this beautiful book.

The illustrations feel clean, crisp, and delicate. A bit like a clean white linen sheet that you’ve dried on your clothesline for the first time of the year. They’re beautiful! I really appreciated the time that went into drawing the flora on all the pages.

It’ll be interesting to see this book in print. Because of the simplicity and the low volume of pages, I feel like a conventional hardcover picture book will be overwhelming for it, despite that being the best format for the artwork. I would definitely use this book for Ana, who is beginning to read. It has a good mix of simple sentences and uncommon words that would be a good starting point for her without being overwhelming, which is why I kind of hope its printed in a beginning reader size as well!

In Blossom by Cheon Yooju
Overall, this book would make a gorgeous addition to ANY shelf and we can’t wait to get our own copy! This book happens to be available in Korean as well!

This is a truly lovely book. It is winningly illustrated in black and white which makes it feel calm, un-rushed and peaceful. The language is simple yet engaging; for example: "It was a sun twinkling day."

The story line is basic. A cat goes out to have a picnic lunch while a dog comes outside to read. They peaceably co-exist until the end of the story when they begin to interact.

So many children's books are lively, bright and colorful. This one shows that there is room for books that are quiet as well. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this highly appealing book. The opinions are my own.

Such a magical book! Illustrations are very spare, but so effective! They match the mood of the story to perfection. I'm not sure kids will get it, but one on one perhaps. beautiful story. A good one to read about friendship on Valentine's Day! Not mushy or gushy, just sweet!

This is such an exquisite and delicate picture book! In spare but lovely language and finely wrought, pastel-coloured illustrations, artist and author Cheon Yooju presents the story of Cat who prepares to eat her lunch on a park bench on an early spring day when the trees are in blossom. Dog, too, comes to the park to read on this “sun twinkling”, “breeze blowing” day. Because of the wind, a petal flutters back and forth between the two seated on the bench, encouraging them to acknowledge each other. Friendship, like the world around Cat and Dog, is suddenly in blossom, too.

Because of the delicacy of the art, this is a picture book that is best shared not in a group setting but between two people: two children (in a buddy read), a parent and a child, or even between two grown-ups. Adults who share the book with kids could have some interesting discussions about how friendships can start in surprising ways.

Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group—Lincoln Children’s Books for providing me with a free digital copy of the book for reviewing.

This is a quiet book that make me feel calm when I read it. The illustration, the setting and everything really makes me happy. The kind of happy that is quiet but fill your heart the most. I adore this book and I think it would be an amazing read for parents and their kids. It teach you about friendship, and how it can appear in the most random places as long as you open your heart :)

It was a cute photo book with beautiful illustrations and a short story. I felt some stillness while reading the story.

This is a sweet, but not syrupy, story about the beginning of a friendship. Beautiful pictures and short story.

This was a delightful minimalist story of a cat and dog becoming friends on a lovely spring day beneath a Japanese cherry tree in full bloom. Strangers at the outset, they share a park bench, and after having the shared experience of a blossom landing on their noses, they acknowledge each other. I just found it weird (maybe it's just me) that Cat offered to share her food after the blossom landed on it - like, here Dog, since you eat everything, you won't mind that it's contaminated, right? :-P I know I'm being picky; it's a lovely story of springtime friendship with beautiful illustrations capturing the soft grace of a cherry tree in bloom!

In Blossom is a lovely children's storybook that was both written and illustrated by Cheon Yooju. The tale of the dog and the cat in this book is quite simple yet its simplicity makes it more charming, while how the two characters are drawn is absolutely adorable! However, young kids prefer vivid or colorful books, hence, I assume that they will not be that focus while reading this. That is the only flaw I found in this picture book but as a whole, the story of sharing and the simple act of kindness will teach kids that it is the perfect way to meet a new friend.

Poetic ~ Sparse ~ Sweet

tl; dr: pleasant friendship in the light of a spring day

I could wax poetic, or hack waxenly, about Chinese influence on Korean art, and the ways that Daoism, Confucianism, and ink painting influence contemporary Korean art. But, gees, this ain't no class. Instead, I will just say that if I was still teaching Asian Art, I would use this book to show the poetry of white space and brushstokes can be evocative, even for young children. This tale shows friendship can occur across species and types of beings. It is simply made, but in the best sense of that expression. Plus there is a cat eating sushi! I loved this little book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In Blossom is an odd little duck of a book. There's not a whole lot of plot here -- cat and dog share a bit of spring peace on a bench under a cherry tree. There's a little hint of a manners lesson included, but not much else. I usually prefer a little more story than you'll find here, but in this case the amount of plot was somehow just right.

The illustrations are muted but lovely. They convey a real sense of peace. I don't think this will appeal to kids who enjoy a lot of action or bright colours on the pages, but I do think it would be the perfect book to read when it's time to wind down. This is the kind of book that leads you to your internal quiet place.

4.5 stars for this lovely little bit of polite, shared solitude.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lincoln Children's Books for providing me with a DRC of this book.

A sweet, simple and stylish book about friendships that can blossom from anywhere and anything.

I think the most important thing about this book is the stunning illustrations. They are so beautiful and words are almost not needed. The story can be told through watching the illustrations. They almost come to life as you read this book.

A brilliant book to read and share with younger children. Also great to share and study the illustrations with older children.

One for the bookshelf for sure!

Okay, I want this author/illustrator to go work at Pixar and turn this story into an Oscar winning animated short. It can be done. The story is quite simple. A cat goes for a walk and eats her lunch under a blooming tree. A dog comes along to read his book. They sit together under the tree and start a sweet friendship when a blossom falls from the tree and is batted back and forth. A simple but beautiful story that has beautiful illustrations to match.

I truly enjoyed the illustrations and the short story. It was very simple and sweet. I really enjoy short stories with strong illustrations because I believe it creates more dialogue between the tiny reader and the parent, and that is exactly what this book with do.

Great story for kids about friends and sharing! We enjoyed reading the story together and each of my kids loved that it was from the cat and dogs perspective.
Perfect story for spring!

3.5~4★
The illustrations are five-star. Absolutely gorgeous, with blossoms that could almost set off a bout of sneezing! The cat and the dog are individual characters, unlike each other but something like people.

The story, such as it is, is simple. On the cover is a small bench with one tiny bird under clouds of pink blossoms.

A cat goes for a walk on a beautiful day, taking a basket with food. She spreads out a cloth on the bench next to her to lay out her lunch. The bird is now in the tree.

Along comes a studious-looking dog wearing glasses and carrying a book. He notices the bench is full.

"'Oh, I'm sorry' he said.
'I can find somewhere else. . . '

'It's OK,' said Cat.
And she moved her lunch to make room."

As they sit quietly, under the tree which now has two birds, a breeze flutters the blossoms and one lands on Cat's nose. She sniffs and blows it off.

It flies over and lands on Dog's nose! He sniffs and puffs it off, too, landing in her sushi.

Then she offers him a bit of lunch, he accepts, and they enjoy their time together.

If you look, you will see here and there in the air and the trees, two little birds. They are almost hidden. But at the end of the book, after Cat and Dog have left, they are sitting snuggled together in the middle of the bench.

The artist loves Spring and the blossoms, and it is a beautiful book to browse. I don't know what I'd expect children to make of it. I would ask them to find the birds, I think.

It's nice to make a new friend, but we don't encourage children to accept food from strangers, particularly sushi. The illustrations and the tone of the book are too beautiful to give it less than four stars, but I have misgivings about the food I'd have been more comfortable with a piece of fruit, I think!

I included several pictures in my Goodreads review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Frances Lincoln Children's Books for the preview copy.

A lovely book told in a minimalist way about a dog and a cat sharing the space and enjoying the day. It was a sweet book.

This children's book reminds me of the books I read as a child. A little nostalgic, just beautiful And such a cute story about friendship!