tag YA
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MUNGCHI AND MAN-DO
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A warm-hearted and delightful tale that cheers for animals’ and humans’ subsistence and lives Mr. Choe Man-do and his companion dog Mungchi are inseparable both at home and at his shop. Although the man thinks that he alone can communicate with the canine, his daughter A-yeong, too, seems to be able to connect with the animal. He unwillingly takes care of a family of pigeons that has nested on his rooftop due to A-yeong’s love of the birds. In addition, after being chased by a boar during a mountain hike with the family of his daughter’s friend, Man-do comes to ponder on the hardships faced by beasts that have been driven into a corner by humans. On the other hand, after turning into Mong-gu, a boy, Mungchi the dog appears at A-yeong’s school on a sports day and becomes a star. Man-do is happy because of Mungchi and his family.
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Changbi Books > Children > Fiction > Age 10-13, Changbi Books > Children, Changbi Books > Children > Fiction
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『Children’s College』 Series: Children ask and scholars answer
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The “Children’s College” series introduces the world of academic learning to children. Selecting basic disciplines that will especially help youngsters to comprehend the world around them such as biology, history, physics, and economics, it promotes an integrative understanding of humans and society. In preparing these volumes, 150 South Korean children in the 5th and 6th years of primary school were surveyed to obtain what they wished to know about the aforementioned fields. Out of the some 400 questions derived, most frequently asked ones as well as those effective for understanding the contents of these disciplines were chosen and handed over to scholars. Biologist Choe Jaecheon, historian Yi Mahn-yol, physicist Oh Se-Jung, and economist Rhee Jeongjeon carefully examined the questions and provided answers tailored to children. Impressed that the youngsters’ questions were more specific and vivid than grownups’ questions, these four researchers presented the fruits of their lifelong study through intriguing anecdotes and analogies so as to respond fully to children’s curiosity. As such, the “Children’s College” series are the results of dialogue and intellectual exchange between youngsters and scholars. Through seemingly irrelevant yet penetrating questions and researchers’ answers reflecting knowledge and insights, the books in this series will enable readers to understand the fundamentals of each discipline and to view diverse social and natural phenomena from a deeper perspective.
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Changbi Books > YA > Nonfiction, Changbi Books > YA
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『First Encounters with Prose Fiction』 Series
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How can adolescents today, who are increasingly distant from books, access literature comfortably? “First Encounters with Prose Fiction” is Changbi’s new prose fiction series that combines outstanding South Korean short stories and a wealth of illustrations. With intriguing yet brief stories that amount to approximately 100 pages each and charming illustrations, this series will encourage even those who are unaccustomed to reading to approach good contemporary works comfortably. In a situation where the bipolarization of youths’ cultural and literary literacy is increasingly serious, it will provide even those who have given up on books with opportunities to like reading and literature once again and will serve as stepping stones from juvenile literature to prose fiction for adults.
1. 『Ramen Noodles Are Great』 written by Gong Seon-ok, illustrated by Gim Jeong-yun
Min-su is dating Yeon-ju without revealing his family’s financial difficulties. In order to buy her a
fancy birthday gift, he starts to work part-time at a convenience store. In the end, even if ramen
noodles are the only things you eat, love is great as long as there is genuine affection…! 2. 『My Painting of Himalayan Cedars』written by Sung Suk-je, illustrated by Kyo Eun
Fonder of soccer than art in his childhood, Baek Seon-gyu has grown up to be a famous painter.
However, he harbors a secret that he has not dared tell anyone. This Bildungsroman earnestly
depicts the absurdity inherent in choices and life itself.
★ Included in South Korean textbooks
3. 『The Camera That Protects Dreams』 written by Kim Jungmi, illustrated by Yi Ji-hui
A-ram takes photographs of a traditional Korean market that is faced with redevelopment. Pledging that she will always watch out for those who undeservedly suffer from hardships, she uses her camera to preserve hope even today. 4. 『The Corn Flight』 written by Bak Sang-gi, illustrated by Jeong-won
After meeting with two consecutive traffic accidents, Hyeon-seong is led by the circumstances to
tell a lie. Once told, the lie increasingly turns into a knot that cannot be untangled. This story deals with the courage to tell the truth. 5. 『Lim Rod』 written by Bae Mi-ju, illustrated by Kim Sae-hee
Hyeon-yeong has been feeling alone ever since her childhood friend Ji-o debuted as a singer.
Although she visits her great aunt in the United States during a school vacation, she cannot stop
thinking about her now distant friend even there. Hearing of the reason for the girl’s sadness, the
grandaunt recounts a tale about Lim Rod. A sensitive story of first love that colored a 16-year-old’s heart then unfolds. 6. 『Bell Peppers on the Green Onion Planet』 written by Bae Myeong-hun, illustrated by
Guk Min-ji
Previously the harmonious home of people from diverse planets, the Green Onion Planet is
suddenly overcast with war clouds. There are problems even with food supply now so that some
receive only meat while others receive only vegetables. Will the Green Onion Planet be able to regain peace? 7. 『Someone’s Heart』 written by Gim Min-nyeong, illustrated by “Pai”
An inconspicuous student, Gang Me-ri creates a sensation by confessing her love to the boys in her class in succession. Now, there are only two boys who have not been told of the girl’s affection. “Me-ri, what exactly are you feelings?” 8. 『The Move』 written by Jeong So-yeon, illustrated by “Blackham”
Together with his family, Ji-hu must move to another planet. Though it is supposedly inevitable, a
measure to treat his ill younger sister Ji-hye, the protagonist is resentful of his parents’ decision. It is because a special dream prevents him from Makiyende, his home planet. This science fiction story presents a novel and glittering world. 9. 『In Praise of Gastronomy』 written by Choe Yang-seon, illustrated by “Siho”
Because of her mother’s worries about the premature onset of puberty, Ji-su must eat only organic foods. Nevertheless, the girl is happy as long as she can have meals in the same space as Ye-chan. She finally musters courage and confesses her love to the boy, but fails to receive any response. “Ye-chan, don’t you like me?”
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Changbi Books > YA > Fiction, Changbi Books > YA
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Flying on Land
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The first collection of works by Jo Hyeon-ju, this volume includes seven unique tales. These stories are noteworthy for depicting adolescents not as passive objects oppressed by school life but as figures with active will and a capacity for praxis, thus conveying healthy and jovial energy to readers. In particular, they make use of novel topics hitherto unaddressed in South Korean young adult prose fiction such as paragliding and scuba diving, thereby expanding teenagers’ spaces outside the home and the school and enabling readers to imagine a new and different kind of joy. The trajectories of oddball protagonists who dream of getting away from daily routines unfold fascinatingly through ingenious narratives, and also notable is the author’s charming sense of humor.
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Changbi Books > YA > Fiction, Changbi Books > YA
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I’m Becoming Independent Now
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A record of psychiatrist Ha Jee-Hyun’s examinations of teens’ minds
A psychiatrist who is also active as a mental health expert for contemporary South Koreans through diverse books on psychology, Ha Jee-Hyun has published a work that explains and provides advice on the minds of the nation’s adolescents. The volume deals with the representative conflicts and concerns of all teenagers today, ranging from physical and mental changes that occur during adolescence to stress from studies, problems with friends, and anxiety about career paths. As such, it reflects the experiences and know-how that the author has accumulated after counseling countless parents and teens for more than 20 years. Ha offers unique prescriptions to adolescents, who experience confusion as they go through a period of storm and stress. Instead of presenting commonly found consolation and sympathy, he makes use of the latest knowledge in psychology and medicine to elucidate meticulously the identities of the turmoil and strife in teenagers’ minds. This is because one must know who oneself and the sources of the storms in one’s minds are in order to resolve conflicts independently and to move forward. How does it feel to be an adolescent? Being a teen is akin to boarding a “roller coaster of confusion and irritation, and good and bad moods.” Adolescence is the period during which one earnestly becomes independent from one’s parents and prepares to become an independent adult. However, because one has yet to be fully independent and is still in the process of becoming one’s own master, one’s physical and mental states change by year, with a variety of conflicts, perturbation, and frustration arising in the mean time. What should one do to ride this roller coaster safely? In I’m Becoming Independent Now, the author states that, above all, one must know oneself well. He says that, while counseling many teens as a physician, he felt the greatest pity when he witnessed incidents due to youths’ ignorance of themselves. The first key to the resolution of adolescents’ worries and problems lies in grasping oneself, one’s situation, and the changes that will befall one.
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Changbi Books > YA > Nonfiction, Changbi Books > YA
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Almonds
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Almonds will melt the cold in a society incapable of empathy
“A powerful novel that will awaken our capacity for pain and empathy”
Here before our eyes is an intriguing novel, more powerful than films and as gripping as television dramas. Recounting the special growth of a boy who is incapable of recognizing emotions, this engrossing work will pique readers’ curiosity from the first page to the last. In addition, as a novel that will have considerable reverberations in an age that has become insensitive to others’ feelings, it masterfully depicts the process through which the characters form relationships with others and empathize with others’ sadness. The dramatic events that unfold like movie scenes and the captivating style will mesmerize readers immediately. The protagonist of Almonds, Yunjae is a unique character who has difficulty recognizing emotions. Unable to read what lies behind others’ words and actions and to feel fear or anger in earnest, he has barely managed to live “ordinarily.” His mother also drills in him pointers for socially appropriate emotional responses such as laughing when others do so and saying, “Thank you” when others do him a favor. A child who sees and interprets everything literally and is scorned as a “monster,” Yunjae loses his entire family one day in a tragic accident and is left alone in this world. At the moment that he thinks he has lost everything, however, Yunjae encounters new personages in his life. They include: Goni, a child who is scarred by a dark past; Dora, a child who, in contrast, has an unblemished sensibility; and Dr. Sim, who wishes to help the protagonist. The story that unfolds between the hero and these characters will prompt readers to ponder once again on both the sheer difficulty and the invaluableness of understanding others’ feelings. Prose fiction writer Gong Seon-ok has evaluated this work as a “novel that gives hope to people like me, who believe, ‘The heart can rule over the mind’” and stated, “contemporary society may be suffering from a collective inability for emotional expression.” Living without time to mourn loss and to take care of their own emotions, readers will have an opportunity to look back on their hearts as they cheer for Yun-jae. The hero’s calm tone paradoxically is more heart-wrenching, and readers will be able to experience a deep and genuine emotional uplift through this work.
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Changbi Books > YA > Fiction, Changbi Books > YA
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The Liberators
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Set against the totalitarian state Renmak, where love and reproduction are strictly controlled, The Liberators is a gripping work that recounts the adventures and growth of two adolescents and the citizens’ struggles. Persuasively addressing the theme of “Is it permissible for governments to censor love?” the author unleashes the power of a dynamic narrative to his heart’s content. This powerful novel not only presents readers with the joy of reading with its captivating and speedy development and reversals but also prompts them to ponder on the true courage of the citizens who fight against social injustices.
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Changbi Books, Changbi Books_YA, Changbi Books > YA > Fiction, Changbi Books_YA > Fiction, Changbi Books > YA
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Ant Fairies in the Middle of the Night
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Painter Sin Seon-mi is evaluated in South Korean artistic circles as having accomplished the temporal expansion of traditional East Asian painting. Addressing the daily lives of contemporary women while using the techniques of traditional East Asian color painting, her work is known to portray intricately the games of graceful women and children dressed in hanbok, the traditional Korean costume, cats, and ant fairies that busily travel between dreams and reality in sophisticated colors and reflecting a wealth of stories in the canvas. Likewise, in this picture book, the artist places next to a mother and a child wearing hanbok and ant fairies a clinical thermometer, a bottle gourd, and a character pillow, thus creating a mysterious atmosphere that straddles tradition and contemporaneity. In addition, she boldly omits depictions of the background, thus calling readers’ attention to the characters, painted on subtly ochre-colored traditional Korean paper. The artist’s mysterious childhood experience of seeing fairies has become the starting point of her “ant fairy” series. That memory lay dormant in her mind for long, maturing as she became a mother, finally to be born as a picture book starring her son. The artist painstakingly recreated that tale of fairies miraculously encountered in the innocence of childhood on large sheets of traditional Korean paper measuring over one meter over two years, thus producing 25 beautiful traditional East Asian paintings. Thus completed, Ant Fairies in the Middle of the Night is one beautiful painting collection and picture book.
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Changbi Books_Children, Changbi Books > Children, Changbi Books > Children > Picture book, Changbi Books_Children > Picture book
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Fifty People
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Despair and hope in the stories of 50 people
Jeong Se-rang’s sensitive and warm hand reaching out even to unseen individuals
In this volume, the stories of characters both inside and outside a university hospital near Seoul connected loosely or tightly unfold in a gripping and moving way. The hardships, sudden accidents, and worries faced by each individual in a novel consisting of 50 chapters are by no means unrelated to the issues faced by South Korean society today. With her unique sensitivity and warmth, Jeong Se-rang searches out for 50 protagonists and holds each of their hands. Through such touches, she dependably and trustworthily conveys the faith that the pain suffered by people now is not theirs alone and must be overcome together by society at large and that this is the only way to proceed to next generations without regret. The marvel of moments at which our gazes meet
As the story of Fifty People unfolds with a focus on a university hospital, the work features many of the characters who work at the institution. Through meticulous research and consultation, the author presents the tales not only of physicians and nurses but also of security guards, MRI technicians, patient transfer technicians, information personnel, promotion, employees, anatomical technicians, clinical test personnel, air ambulance technicians, public health doctors, pharmaceutical company salespeople, and hospital founders. Added to them are tales of patients who visit the emergency room, psychiatric department, and surgical department, thus rendering the work even more multifaceted and richer. The novel is tightly knit and well-structured, with its 50 characters related to one another as physicians, patients, patients’ families, and families’ friends. At the same time, even marvelous are moments at which completely unrelated figures face one another. In the end, we are perhaps already comforted by the countless people whom we simply pass by.
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Changbi Books > Adults, Changbi Books, Changbi Books_Adults, Changbi Books > Adults > Fiction, Changbi Books_Adults > Fiction
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Welcome to the Midnight Store
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Centering on the first-person narrator, an 18-year-old boy who works at a convenience store at night, this work realistically depicts life on the outskirts of a city and solidarity among neighbors, thus leaving deep reverberations. In this book, the author calmly unfolds the stories of both the protagonist and diverse characters who visit the shop. Revealing her keen observations of the vicissitudes of life and warm view of disadvantaged people, the novel demonstrates her fully mature literary capacity. In particular, with the time and space of a convenience store in the middle of the night creating a mysterious and lyrical atmosphere, the process through which lonely and needy characters care for one another and form solidarity is portrayed in a moving way.
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Changbi Books, Changbi Books_YA, Changbi Books > YA > Fiction, Changbi Books_YA > Fiction, Changbi Books > YA