A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of the Year
A Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Book of the Year
A 2026-2027 Red Clover Book Award Nominee (VT)
"A quiet yet masterfully rendered reminder that decency is always worth the hassle." -- Kirkus Reviews (STARRED REVIEW)
"A marvelous English-language debut in an emotionally urgent story...a moving work about a small, essential act of kindness." -- Publishers Weekly (STARRED REVIEW)
A resonant reminder to make the time to be kind, set in the bustling city of Seoul.
One rainy morning, the Seogang Bridge hums with traffic--and in between the cars is a tiny kitten. People mutter to themselves, but no one wants to stop or slow down. The raindrops pelt the road; the cars screech and honk; the kitten mews. Finally one car pulls over...
With atmospheric art by acclaimed illustrator Myungae Lee, Late Today asks readers to choose compassion in the midst of busyness. This stirring story is perfect for cat lovers, city dwellers, and anyone who's ever lost themselves in the rush of life.
About the Author :
Jungyoon Huh studied child development and education in college and graduate school, and she now works as a picture book author, animation director, and university professor in South Korea. Her books have been selected for the White Ravens catalog and for the BRAW Amazing Bookshelf. Late Today is her English-language debut. Myungae Lee is a South Korean picture book author and illustrator who has twice been selected as illustrator of the year at the Bologna Children's Book Fair. Her work has received honors including the Nami Concours Green Island Award, the BIB Golden Plaque Award, and the BIB Golden Apple Award. In 2020, Lee was shortlisted for the AOI World Illustration Awards. Late Today is her English-language debut. Lee lives near the Seogang Bridge in Seoul, South Korea, and she often meets stray cats while walking to her studio. Follow Lee on Instagram @myungaelee.
Aerin Park is a Korean and English translator whose projects include the Korean-to-English translations of Okchundang Candy and The Legend of Tiger and Tail-Flower (both Levine Querido). She has also translated Korean source materials for Paula Yoo's Rising from the Ashes (Norton) and served as an interpreter and cultural consultant for theatrical productions. Park lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she enjoys reading Korean history with her children. Visit her website at aerinpark.com.
Review :
"A quiet yet masterfully rendered reminder that decency is always worth the hassle."
--Kirkus Reviews (STARRED REVIEW)
"A marvelous English-language debut in an emotionally urgent story...a moving work about a small, essential act of kindness."
--Publishers Weekly (STARRED REVIEW)
"Charming, tender, and touching...the sort of book that gets read and read again."
--Claudia Zoe Bedrick for New York Magazine's The Strategist
"Simple yet meaningful."
--BookPage
"Atmospheric...dynamic...a quiet, relatable reminder to slow down for kindness."
--Booklist
"Immersive...This quick, tense story is a good one to remind kiddos about the importance of taking action, especially in situations 'where no one can point a finger and call 'coward, ' even when someone ignores what's happening and just passes by.'"
--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"A simple but riveting story that is elevated by Park's smooth translation and Lee's expert use of visual storytelling techniques."
--Horn Book
"I can't say enough about this beautiful book, my friends. Read it. Share it. And oh my, what a wonderful prompt for discussions about the choices we make."
--Erin Dealey, author and educator
"A good opportunity for young readers to think about the importance of lending a hand."
--Deborah Iwabuchi, Words Without Borders
"Why did I like this book so much when I first saw it? Quite frankly, even before I read the translation, its topics of compassion and sacrifice and busyness were already compelling...Better still, the bridge featured is a real one and the author actually lives close to it (it's in Seoul). On top of everything else, the book makes for great conversation fodder. You can use it to ask young readers, 'What would you do? What would you say? What would the people around you say in this kind of a situation?' My favorite line in the whole thing is actually the line at the end. 'We all were late. But it's okay. Today was a good day to be late.' Now kids KNOW all about being late, after all, but the point of this book is that being late is less important than being kind."
--Betsy Bird, A Fuse #8 Production
