Our Lake

Kokila, Penguin Random House 2025

United States/Kokila
France/Didier Jeunesse
Brazil/Pequena Zahar
China/World Publishing Xi’an, Co. Ltd.
Korea/RH Korea Co., Ltd.

A tender and vulnerable exploration of love and loss that follows two boys as they take their first trip back to the lake without their father, from debut author-illustrator Angie Kang.

On a sweltering hot day, a little boy mirrors his brother as he takes off his shirt, stretches, and walks toward the edge of the tall rock, ready to dive into the cool lake waters glistening below. Only this time, Father is not here. And the water looks so far away. How can he take the plunge? 

With a gorgeous, deft touch in her exquisitely soft illustrations and words, Angie Kang conveys vulnerability, longing, and connection as these two boys hear Father’s laugh and see his memory all around them, uniting them in a bittersweet moment.

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Events

  • Randolph Caldecott Honor

  • WINNER of the Charlotte Zolotow Award

  • WINNER of the Dilys Evans Founder’s Award from the Society of Illustrators (SOI)

  • WINNER of the Golden Pinwheel Audience Choice Award at the 2025 Chinese Children’s Book Festival

  • A Pedro and Daniel Intersectionality Book Award (PADIBA) Longlist Book

  • A Golden Kite Award Finalist

  • An ALSC Notable Children's Book

  • A Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2025

  • An Evanston Public Library’s 101 Best Books of 2025

  • A School Library Journal Best Books of 2025

  • An NPR ‘Books We Love 2025’ selection

  • A Kirkus Best Picture Books of 2025

  • A Children’s Book Review 40 of the Best Picture Books of 2025

  • A Horn Book Fanfare Best Books of 2025

  • A Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature (CSMCL) Best Books of 2025

  • A Common Sense Media Best Books of 2025

  • Three STARRED reviews ★★★

Activities & coloring pages

Trade Reviews

  • ★ “A deeply felt story about siblings returning to a cherished place…in loosely painted, expressive gouache, crayon, and colored pencil. Foregrounding the hard work of moving forward, this story about loss offers a vision of a place where “we are all together.”


    —Publishers Weekly, starred review

  • ★ “A heartrending journey through grief and bravery unfolds in this beautifully illustrated story. With lyrical descriptive language and breathtaking illustrations, this book tenderly explores themes of loss, bravery, and family.”

    —School Library Journal, starred review

  • ★ “Kang’s debut picture book is a quiet portrait of the ways in which grief takes us by surprise, and its glorious final celebratory splash offers a radiant reminder of how joy and connection can exist alongside sadness.”

    —The Horn Book, starred review

  • “A heartfelt story of overcoming grief. Mixing gouache with the texture from crayons and colored pencils, Kang paints the sky a soft yellow with foliage in deep blues and greens. Combining these elements with the unlined art adds a softness to the delicate subject matter.  A valuable addition for even the most robust collections.”

    —Booklist

  • “A sensitive look at the delicate process of navigating loss. The gouache, crayon, and colored pencil illustrations convey a sense of calm and comfort while also acknowledging the anxiety of the unknown.”

    —Kirkus Reviews

  • “Lyrical… The text has a contemplative quality to it, never taking up more than three short lines at a time and allowing the viewer space to process every word… Vibrant eye-catching colors splash across every page.”

    —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Children walking on a trail through a colorful forest with trees and foliage, one child wearing a red hat and yellow shirt, and the other in a red and blue outfit.
Children on a beach, with one boy taking off his shirt, another stretching, and a third walking toward the edge, all in swimsuits.
An illustrated children’s book showing a young boy sitting on a rock by a body of water, with a girl swimming in the water. The water is a deep blue, and the scene appears to be during dusk or night.
Watercolor illustration of a man with a hat and towel on his shoulder on the left page, and a father with children standing outdoors on a grassy hill on the right page. The father is holding a hat. The background features trees and a yellow sky.

Video courtesy of Let’s Talk Picture Books