CCBC Booklists

CCBC booklist are compiled from books we have recommended in various editions of CCBC Choices. Most of these booklists are updated annually. You can also select books from one or more booklists to create a custom list, which can also include additional books from the CCBC-Recommended Book Search.

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Late Today

by Jungyoon Huh

CCBC Review:

Seoul, South Korea, 8:15 A.M. “We can’t be late today.” Crooked rows of bumper-to-bumper rush-hour traffic inch along in pouring rain. Tiny and helpless among the vehicles, a “kitten, barely two weeks old, [is] crossing the bridge.” She darts around, unable to find her way through the maze of moving tires, noticed by drivers and passengers who honk and exclaim and worry and look away in fear. Everyone is horrified, but what can be done? And then one person pulls over. “They hoped to hear a kitten’s cry.” Over several tense, nearly wordless pages, an adult and a child sit in the car in the driving rain, waiting. Cars honk. Windshield wipers squeak. Then, from under the car: “Mew mew.” The driver hurries out and scoops up the quivering, terrified animal. “We all were late. But it’s okay. Today was a good day to be late.” Much of this story is communicated via the artwork, made with colored pencil and oil pastel, which feels almost cinematic in its variety of perspectives and effective use of panels and montage. This suspenseful story commends bravery, but its focus on the kitten’s dangerous journey prevents it from becoming heavy-handed. ©2026 Cooperative Children’s Book Center

Illustrated by Myungae Lee
Translated by Aerin Park. Translated from the Korean. Originally published in South Korea.

CCBC Age Recommendation: 4-8
Age Range: PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7) Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Format: Picture book
Subjects: Animals (Fiction) Suspense Vehicles and Transportation
Diversity subject: Asian
On CCBC Booklist: Global Reading: Selected Books for Children and Teens Set in Other Countries

Publisher: Eerdmans
Publish Year: 2025
Pages: 32
ISBN: 9780802856494
CCBC Location: Picture Book, Huh

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