Description: Takuya's family has an old dog named Goro, who has grown frail and can barely walk. Having grown up together since Takuya was little, the two are so used to each other that Takuya doesn't fully realize how precious Goro truly is. One day, as Takuya is about to head off to play baseball with his friends, his mother asks him to take Goro for a walk. Impatient, Takuya pushes at Goro's rear, trying to make him hurry along. When a girl from his class sees this and laughs, Takuya feels embarrassed. He forces old Goro up over a riverbank, but the moment they reach the top, Goro suddenly collapses. This touching story reminds us of the things we take for granted—like the air we breathe—simply because they've always been by our side. The quiet, moving effort of Takuya's friends and neighbors, all coming together to try to save one humble old dog, leaves a gentle but lasting impression. The author, Fukuda Iwao, is a veteran picture book creator who has received the Ehon Nippon Award, a prestigious prize for Japanese picture books. Author: Fukuda Iwao (福田 岩緖) Recent works include The Upside-Down Climbing Homework, Let's All Poop Together, and the Nuri Curriculum 5-Year-Old Must-Read Set (10 volumes), among a total of 37 published works. Born in 1950 in Okayama Prefecture, Japan, he won the Japan Picture Book Award for Rattle Clatter. His written and illustrated works include Hooray for Farts, Because I'm the Big Brother, and Here Comes the First Grader!, while his illustrated works include Dad's V Sign, Makoto's Blue Sky, and You Don't Even Know How I Feel. Translator: Kim Nan-joo With 436 translated works to her name, she was born in Busan in 1958 and graduated from Kyung Hee University with a degree in Korean Literature, later completing graduate studies at the same institution. In 1987, she earned a master's degree in modern Japanese literature from Showa Women's University, and went on to research modern Japanese literature at Otsuma Women's University and the University of Tokyo. She currently works as a professional translator specializing in Japanese literature. Her translated works include Between Calm and Passion: Rosso, Shining, Falling Evening, Holy Garden, Left Bank 1 & 2, Candied Violets, A Noisy Ordinary Day, Tender Lettuce, The Scent of Watermelon, God's Boat, The Adult Who Cries, The Child Who Doesn't Cry, and Memories Behind My Back.