MPOV: The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly

A Korean Charlotte's Web

This book was introduced as 'A Korean Charlotte's Web' but I've never read Charlotte's Web LOL! So I was clueless when I picked this book up, only knew it's related to animals.

The story is about an egg laying hen in a chicken coop who dreamt of leaving the coop and be allowed to roam freely like the rooster, ducks and other animals in the farm. She also harboured a dream where she could be allowed to hatch the eggs she lay, bringing the chicks up when it hatched. Eventually, she became demotivated and began to stop eating until she couldn't lay another egg. She was so thin that the farmer thought she was sick. Also the last egg she laid was soft and it broke easily.

One day, the farmer decided to cull this hen and left it in a mass grave where the other chickens had died. She survived and was saved from a hungry weasel by a duck. Her dream finally came true to roam around freely in the farm! However, she was met with disapproval by the animals in the farm who do not agree to let her stay in the barn with them.

So off she went on her own, roaming around freely and be alert of the hungry weasel. After plumping up, she couldn't lay an egg still to fulfil her dream to hatch an egg and mother a chick. One night, she found an abandoned egg and quickly nest on it without knowing whose it belongs to. Together with her friend the duck who protected and fed her whilst she happily nest the abandoned egg. Everything changes when the egg finally hatched. Eventually accepting the truth,  she preserver which made her strong-willed and protective of her hatch-ling.

This is a short, breezy read with 144 pages; with straightforward prose since it's translated from Korean. Also it's sort of educational; indirectly touching on freedom, motherhood, caste, friendship and racism. 

I loved the illustrations, dainty and quaint. It helps the book to be more relatable even for adults. The only downside is the translation, though straightforward and easy for younger audience, I find it a little less dramatic. Well, that's just me. 

Dreams. It's good to have dreams, something to wish for and look forward to. A milestone worth achieving hence making life complete. I even have a bullet journal to keep track and it's so gratifying! We only live once so live life to the fullest! 

Goodreads rating: 4/5
My rating: 3/5

Author: Sun-mi Hwang
Translated by Chi-young Kim
Illustrated by Nomoco
Genre: fiction, fantasy, animals