Written by Yoo Eun Sil and Illustrated by Kim You Dae


This is the third volume of ‘Jeong Yi Story’, written by Yoo Eun Sil. The writer is well known to be good at understanding children at the age of 7 or 8. Since Jeong Yi eats anything and grows up so well, she even has a weird resolution to pick at food and become a sensitive child. Her healthy mind and curiosity remain, but she is getting more into protecting herself who is different from others, rather than becoming like others. Therefore, when we meet Jeong Yi who continues to grow up while talking to her elder brother or happening to meet her first love on the way to school, we think that it is ok to be myself.
‘It’s complicated.’ In this book, Jeong Yi often expresses her feelings in this way. Just like it is upsetting but funny at the same time while playing with her elder brother, she doesn’t want to forget that her heart was broken after failing her first love, because she was happy being in love. The time when we have crush on somebody but he or she doesn’t feel the same way we do. Anyone might have this kind of ‘small obstacle’ in life. This obstacle shows both Jeong Yi and young readers many kinds of flavors of life. The flavors that we will taste in life will not always be so good, but we can handle those unsweet and bitter moments as they are.
Jeong Yi doesn’t define herself as one word because she knows that there are different meanings to be ‘like Jeong Yi’. It might be an insignificant scene, but we can see amazing changes Jeong Yi has made. She used to be embarrassed by eating anything unlike other children and used to want to have attention from adults by being a ‘sensitive kid’. However, now she has begun considering what it is to be ‘myself’. With free attitude not locked by the stereotype as a ‘good girl’ named by adults, she has grown a step further being loved by readers. The process, which she deeply considers who she really is and finds herself, provokes curiosity for young readers ‘What would it be to become real me?’ as well as ‘Who is Jeong Yi?’.
The excellent ability of the writer to send a variety of meanings, even difficult ones, in our life has been well hidden in this book behind her selective words and witty sentences. Furthermore, this book also corrects the stereotype that ‘children are simple’ easily defined by adults in both a smooth and a firm way. The writer also makes us realize children should be respected genuinely.