"Father's laugh leaps through my bones,
making them bird-light.
When I open my eyes, his joy is
still there, humming in my limbs.
"Jump!" Brother shouts
one more time."
It's still too early to be considering our annual trip to the lake. Spring is not quite around the corner, and summer vacation is a distant memory for a few months yet. We all have happy memories of our stays there in the past few years. The brothers whose story is told in this heartfelt memoir of happier days cherish the time they spent at our lake, while also grieving the loss of their father.
Brother advises that the hike is 'long and steep'. The story's narrator, and little brother, does not want to admit any fear. Reaching the top, with sunshine warming them, they peer down to the water which seems so very far away. They prepare by stretching and walking to the rock's edge. As he watches Brother dive in, the younger one is not inclined to do the same. He has done it in earlier times; today, seems different.
Brother encourages. Behind his closed eyes, and before he jumps, the boy pictures his father and the way he soared into that cool water. The memories are strong, and so is the joy felt in those days. He's ready. His dive holds even more images of times when his father was right there as he hit the water. Brother is proud, while also remembering the times when Father was there with them.
"Here, in our lake,
the water holds us close."
This is Angie Kang's debut book for children. Her gouache, crayon, and colored pencil images convey full feeling as the brothers return, without their father, to their favorite summer destination. The joy of remembrance is matched by the disquiet of unwelcome change. Being together at 'our lake' offers solace.
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