The House Before Falling into the Sea

By Ann Suk Wang, illustrated by Hanna Cha. Dial Books, 2024. 40 pages. $18.99/hardcover; $10.99/eBook. Recommended for ages 6–9.

Based on a true story, The House Before Falling into the Sea is a tale of a family and their neighbors, told through the eyes of a child during the Korean War. In the Tak home in the port city of Busan, more and more travelers arrive from the north, fleeing for their lives with what they can carry. The Tak family provides shelter to these new refugees, before they “fall into the sea.” For their daughter, Kyung, there are challenges in the noise and closeness of so many people in her house. Young readers may understand her reluctance to share more and more with the strangers her parents call guests.

The soft illustrations are awash in colors, and Kyung’s facial expressions show her fear, annoyance, and petulance but also her sympathy for others and their worries. The anxiety of living in a war zone is shown in the more frenetic, blurred art depicting siren blasts and children hurrying to safety in a hiding place. The climax of the story finds Kyung turning to her loving parents with all her feelings of wanting things to return to “normal,” and their gentle lesson that the strangers are now neighbors: people to help and love, sharing the gift of mutual care.

Both author Ann Suk Wang and illustrator Hanna Cha are descendants of families from Busan during the time of this story. (Kyung is based on Wang’s mother.) Their notes on the final pages share the memories that inspired the story and pictures. Korean words are used throughout the text, and a lovely glossary explains cultural meanings, including foods that may be unfamiliar to the reader and the importance of names in Korean culture. The book also encourages our curiosity as readers; when Kyung refers to her “Umma” and “Appa” we are not given glossary definitions but discover through the story that these are children’s words for mother and father.

The end pages also share questions to consider: How do we define neighbor? How can you show kindness to others? They could be used as queries to consider after the story and could connect with the Quaker testimonies of community and peace and with the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29–37). Often in religious education programs for children, we take on one topic at a time: history, the Bible, the testimonies; this book could anchor a series of conversations with younger children that weave together the biblical question of “who is my neighbor” and historical examples of care for one another (and “the other”) in communities. These conversations could explore how we are living our faith today, including peacemaking and responses to war.

A portion of the proceeds from the book go to nonprofit organizations that help to house families. A meeting or children’s program service project could connect the story told here with response to the needs of refugees and others impacted by war and violence. One of the themes of the book is that action is agency, for children as well as adults. Care for the community begins with small gestures, such as listening with empathy or sharing a smile, a hug, or a kind word.

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Melinda Wenner Bradley lives in southeastern Pennsylvania and is a member of West Chester (Pa.) Meeting. She is a cofounder of Quaker Religious Education Collaborative and Faith & Play Stories. The leadings of her public ministry include nurture for families and encouraging all-ages worship in meeting communities.