Description: "Revisiting the value of Korean picture books." This picture book is the result of about a year's dedicated work by illustrator Lee Eok-bae, known for The Big-Handed Grandmother's Dumplings and Sol's Chuseok Story. The author, Hyun Dong-yeom, whose trail became hard to trace after moving to North Korea, was active alongside Bang Jeong-hwan in the magazine Eorini (Children). Through a fable featuring an ox, a fly, and a mosquito, the story gently scolds those who are lazy and expect something for nothing without working. It sharply satirizes human behavior found everywhere in society by portraying people as animals. What draws attention to this book today, however, is how it expresses Korean sentiment through its text and illustrations without exaggeration. Take, for instance, lines like 'Being such a good-natured ox, he doesn't get angry and simply lets it be,' or 'Paying no mind to anything else, he eats only what's his, munching away happily.' These simple, warm, unremarkable sentences are the kind that could only come from a Korean author who has fully digested our language in our own way. The ox, chick, fly, and mosquito may be seen in any country, but when portrayed by a Korean illustrator through a Korean sensibility, the feeling is entirely different. That sense of quiet comfort one feels just looking at the colors surely comes from the fact that a distinct Korean sentiment truly exists. Every picture book in the world has its own value, and just as with food, a narrow diet of picture books is not ideal for children either. All that can be said for certain is that this book stands as one example of why Korean picture books still need to exist in this world. Still, it is simply a joy to read a well-made Korean picture book again after a long while. - Lee Ye-rin (2003-02-12) See all picture books Author: Hyun Dong-yeom Recent work: The Mosquito and the Ox and 3 titles total. About: A devoted disciple of Bang Jeong-hwan, he left behind many works of children's literature. Records from 1932 note that he wrote children's stories while working as a labor union official. During the height of class-conscious children's literature, he was active writing for the magazines Byeollara (Starland) and Sinsonyeon (New Youth). Many of his works appeared in Eorini, the magazine founded under Bang Jeong-hwan's leadership, and he also published a collection of children's poems titled Aramme Brothers. Illustrator: Lee Eok-bae Recent works: The Dandelion Picture Book Set (9 volumes), The Picture Book Healing Reading Set (10 volumes, including analysis materials), Naughty Ga-Na-Da (Board Book), and 27 titles total. About: Born in 1960 in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, he graduated from Hongik University with a degree in sculpture. After college, he engaged in socially engaged art activities, including work with citizen art schools, banner paintings, and satirical cartoons. He wrote and illustrated the picture books Sol's Chuseok Story, Naughty Ga-Na-Da, Jaljaljal 123, The Story Pouch Story, and When Spring Comes to the Demilitarized Zone. He also illustrated the picture books Half-Boy, The Strongest Rooster in the World, Grandmother's Big-Handed Dumpling Making, The Mosquito and the Ox, and Who Are You. He is currently involved in a peace picture book project together with picture book artists from Korea, China, and Japan.