The Love of Two Stars: A Korean Legend

Lisa Arsenault is a high-school English teacher who is involved in
several ministry campaigns to increase literacy.

In a kingdom in the sky there lived a skilled farmer and an expert
weaver who fell in love. They began to neglect their duties and were
punished with separation by their king. However, annually, on the
seventh day of the seventh month, they are allowed to meet in the Milky
Way. They cross this vast expanse on birds that hover so close together
that they form a living bridge.

This retelling of an ancient Korean legend is intriguing on several
levels. It is a morality tale (community responsibilities must not be
neglected for personal reasons, no matter how important to the persons
involved), and it explains natural phenomena in the way that creation
myths do. For example, rain is the tears of the separated lovers. The
tears become a flood. Then animals all over the world become alarmed and
agree to reunite the lovers via a bridge of birds before the world is
destroyed. Now, after their yearly reunion, it still rains, but the
tears are beneficial and cause fruits and vegetables to grow in
abundance. Hints of elements found in other legends, such as Noah’s
Ark and the flooding of Atlantis, add to the interest.

The author is also the illustrator and is thus able to bring her
precise vision to the page. The starry night sky is depicted in a Van
Gogh–esque style—whimsical, fluid, and abstract. Scenes of domestic
and daily rural activity are portrayed with naive and touching
simplicity. The flood waters roil in heavy, undulating curves. The
compelling artwork combined with the archetypal storyline make this
picture book highly recommended.