Yunho and Myunghee are kids living in North Korea. Every day is a fight for survival, be it avoiding soldiers, bartering and scavenging for food, etc. They know their only hope for their futures is to sneak across the border to China, but even there they run the risk of being captured. Still, a chance at freedom outweighs the risks involved. The kids start off on different paths but are reunited after a chance meeting at the beginning of their escape.

I knew this was going to be a difficult read going in. It's hard to grasp that the events in this book aren't far off history or works of dystopian fiction. The book is set in 2013, but the situation is still relevant. The story and the illustrations portray this in a heartbreaking yet beautiful way. Despite the horrific things the characters face, this is a story filled with hope.

Thanks to HarperCollins/HarperAlley and NetGalley for providing a free digital ARC of the book!