The Mole's Daughter

Teya Rosenberg is an assistant professor of English specializing in
children’s literature at Southwest Texas State University.

A mole, proud of his daughter’s beauty, decides that she must marry
the most powerful being in the world. Ignoring her protests, he begins
his search for her perfect groom. He first approaches the sky, which
insists that the sun is even stronger. The sun points out that a cloud
can overpower him, but the cloud feels the wind is even stronger. The
wind, however, insists that a stone wall is stronger yet. Eventually,
the father realizes that the best mate for his daughter is indeed
another mole, and the daughter happily marries.

The Mole’s Daughter is based on a Korean version of a familiar tale.
The progression through the various natural forces only to realize that
one’s own kind makes the best mate has been told many times. Russian
artist Julia Gukova has chosen not to represent the Korean origin of the
tale; rather, the moles are in a European setting and wear contemporary
European clothing. The illustrations, double-page spreads in clear
colors, emphasize the natural world surrounding the moles. The sky, sun,
and other forces are delicately anthropomorphized with facial features
that blend into their natural characteristics. The wedding of the two
moles is painted in colors that glow, emphasizing the happiness of the
occasion. This enjoyable book would be a worthy addition to any folktale
collection. Recommended.