Could Young-dae ever become our friend? Book 1 in the "Classroom Library" series, My Deskmate Choi Young-Dae is designed to awaken the joy of reading in elementary schoolers who may still find text-heavy books tedious. This full-length children's story is by Chae In-seon, who began her career as a children's book author after winning Changbi's Good Children's Book manuscript contest in 1996. Since its first publication in 1997, the book has remained a beloved favorite among children, parents, and teachers alike. One day in April, a boy named Young-dae with messy, unkempt hair transfers to a new school from a distant countryside town. Always slow-moving, Young-dae stays quiet during both class time and recess. He never speaks. He also seems to wear the same clothes every day and doesn't appear to bathe very often. The other children tease him, calling him a "slow-poke fool." Young-dae stays silent even when they mock him. The girls in class beg the teacher not to make them sit next to him, so Young-dae ends up sitting alone... Young-dae is a character born from a story the author heard from her own daughter. His story, which moves adults just as deeply as children, teaches an important lesson: rather than excluding or mocking a child who struggles to fit in, we should show interest, care, and support instead. The book's warmth and charm are further enriched by the soft, realistic illustrations of Jung Soon-hee, an acclaimed picture book artist who won the Golden Goblin Award hosted by BIR Publishing in 1995 for her picture book Windy Day.