A poignant picture book about a crow losing its friend to a window collision has won South Korea's top literary honor, bringing much-needed attention to a global environmental crisis that kills billions of birds annually. "A Dot, a Line, and a Bird" by author Zo-O received the grand prize at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's 2025 Picture Book Award, recognized for its powerful combination of beautiful artwork and urgent environmental messaging.
The award-winning book tells the heartbreaking story of a crow whose friend dies after flying into a glass window, a tragedy that occurs millions of times daily around the world. Through detailed, painterly illustrations, the story explores the harsh reality facing birds in our modern urban landscape, where transparent and reflective glass surfaces create invisible deadly traps. The book's striking visual contrast between beautiful natural imagery and the devastating impact of human development on wildlife left a profound impression on judges and readers alike.
Author Zo-O expressed hope that the prestigious recognition will help raise public awareness about bird-window collisions, an issue she believes remains largely unknown to most people. "Not many people know about this issue. I'm happy that the award will help more people understand what's happening," Zo-O explained in a recent interview. "Then, we can start talking about what we can do to save their lives." The author's work was selected alongside eight other outstanding picture books, but hers stood out for its unique approach to environmental education through storytelling.
The inspiration for this important work came from Zo-O's longstanding commitment to animal rights and her participation in an online lecture about bird-window collisions during the COVID-19 pandemic. "When I learned about the issue, it sparked the idea," she recalled. The author also shared a personal connection to the subject, remembering a childhood experience of finding a dead bird on the street without understanding the cause of death. "After watching that lecture, I realized a collision may have been the cause," she said, highlighting how education can help us understand previously mysterious wildlife deaths.
Bird-window collisions represent one of the most serious threats to avian populations worldwide, with devastating statistics that underscore the urgency of this environmental crisis. According to research cited by Jason Hoeksema, a professor of ecology at the University of Mississippi writing for The Conversation, window strikes are the leading cause of bird deaths in the United States. The scale of this tragedy is staggering, with scientific estimates indicating that more than one billion birds die from window collisions each year in the United States alone. Birds cannot see transparent glass or become confused by reflective surfaces, leading them to fly directly into windows at full speed, often resulting in stunning, serious injury, or death.
Crows hold special significance in Zo-O's literary work, appearing as main characters in all three of her published books. "Crow was my nickname in university," she explained, revealing the personal connection behind this recurring motif in her storytelling. Her previous work, "Corner" published in 2023, achieved international recognition when it was selected as one of Kirkus Reviews' Best Books of 2024 in the United States. The book was praised as "a quirky, thought-provoking and stunning reminder that a house is not a home," demonstrating Zo-O's ability to tackle complex themes through accessible children's literature.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's recognition comes with additional benefits that will help spread the book's important message beyond South Korea's borders. The ministry provides support for overseas publication of award-winning books, ensuring that important works like "A Dot, a Line, and a Bird" can reach international audiences. However, Zo-O revealed that translation work was already underway before receiving this government support, with an English version of the book in development to help share this crucial environmental message with readers worldwide.
