The Polar Bear Day, a sublimely executed, wordless debut picture book by Park Jihee, describes a gentle, wonder-filled imaginary friendship and reveals an environmental message through subtle visual hints.
A child plays alone until a polar bear knocks at the door. The child--of course--invites the bear in and the pair shares some sweetly mischievous playtime. When the kid's caregiver comes home, the bear quietly hides out of sight. After the adult tucks the little one into bed, the child and bear snuggle and dance before sneaking outside. The child perches atop the bear's back and uses a cap and a coat to appear as tall as an adult, and the two head to the beach, where they encounter another person with an ursine friend. The bears embrace. The child bids their bear a tender farewell, and the new bear leads the way to a tiny iceberg floating offshore. At story's end, the caretaker discovers the child fast asleep underneath the coat.
Park's illustrations "were created directly onto discarded cardboard using coloured pencils, watercolour, acrylic paint, ink, and collage." Said collage includes newspaper for the polar bear, who is white and covered with Korean text, as well as other waste materials for imaginative and colorful flourishes. The materials used and the figure of the polar bear--known to be a vulnerable species--speak to an environmental message that is never directly stated. The story arc is straightforward yet layered and brought to life by Park's accomplished art, which features meticulously illustrated figures, splashes of color, and dramatic, shadowy blacks. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author