Description: A serious issue about ocean pollution, told in a fun and engaging picture book Not long ago, a video shocked people around the world: a sea turtle found on an island in the Pacific with a plastic straw stuck in its nose. The turtle was suffering, unable to breathe properly because of the straw, and when the straw was removed, it began to bleed—bringing many viewers to tears and filling them with guilt. Around the same time, a dead whale found on a beach in Spain was discovered to have 29 kilograms of plastic waste in its stomach. Here in Korea, a dead sea turtle found off the coast of Jeju had more than 50 pieces of marine debris inside it. Dolphins have been spotted swimming with plastic bags tangled around their fins, and skates have been caught with stomachs full of plastic waste. The ocean, home to countless marine creatures, is now in grave danger—because of us. Countless pieces of trash created by humans are being dumped into the sea. In Korea alone, 180,000 tons of marine debris are generated every year, and worldwide, more than 8 million tons of waste flow into the ocean annually. Among all this trash, the biggest problem is plastic—disposable cups, plastic bottles, plastic bags, and packaging materials—items we use constantly in our daily lives. Because plastic doesn't break down for a very long time, it drifts through the ocean and ends up as food for hungry marine animals. Marine debris has become one of the most serious environmental problems we can no longer ignore. "Grandma's Journey to the Dragon Palace" takes on this serious issue of ocean waste, but tells it through a fun story and delightful illustrations. Through the tale of a sea-diving grandmother (haenyeo) who meets all kinds of sea creatures underwater, the book cleverly reveals just how serious the problem of marine debris really is. It's a picture book expected to raise awareness—and spark real concern—about ocean pollution, not just among children, but among adult readers as well. • Drawing on a beloved folktale for dramatic flair and polish "Grandma's Journey to the Dragon Palace" borrows the storyline and characters from the familiar Korean folktale "The Tale of Byeoljubu" (the Rabbit and the Turtle), adding extra dramatic fun for readers. From the scene where a flounder tricks Grandma into coming to the Dragon Palace to save the ailing Dragon King turtle, to the moment they demand Grandma's liver, the story delivers the same delightful familiarity readers know and love. But what follows takes a fun twist on the original tale. Unlike the rabbit in the original folktale, who flatters the Dragon King and sea creatures to trick his way back to land, Grandma has none of it—she scolds the sea creatures outright, saying, "What are you on about? Don't talk nonsense about livers!" Her fearless, thunderous scolding—as if she could put both the Dragon King and all the sea creatures in their place at once—brings a satisfying sense of delight to readers. Another twist awaits: the real reason the Dragon King turtle is sick. Seeing the turtle with a plastic straw stuck in its nose stirs up genuine sympathy and a desire to help. Because the story's hero is a haenyeo grandmother, parodying "The Tale of Byeoljubu"—a folktale filled with sea creatures—adds even more charm and polish to this picture book. • Bringing the story to life through dialect and natural, spoken language "Grandma's Journey to the Dragon Palace" features a haenyeo grandmother from the Gyeongsang Province as its protagonist, recounting to her granddaughter a mysterious experience she once had under the sea. While most children's books are written in standard Korean, this picture book preserves the grandmother's authentic Gyeongsang dialect and natural speech patterns. This choice was made to fully capture the character of a grandmother who has spent her whole life diving in rough seas—gruff on the outside, but deeply warm-hearted underneath. When the sea creatures say something ridiculous, Grandma scolds them like thunder, but when she tends to each injured animal, she offers comfort and concern with unmatched warmth and tenderness. In today's terms, she's the ultimate "tsundere" grandma. Reading the text aloud especially brings out the voice of someone who has spent a lifetime diving in the sea...