1.
Caterpillar number 1
2.
Big and small people
3.
Little brothers and sisters
4.
Classroom observation
5.
Children's hearts
6.
Questioning caterpillar
7.
Seeing the world
8.
The Secret of Birth
9.
uncertain future
10.
Last Escape
11.
The identity of the shadow
12.
A new attempt
13.
The caterpillar that became a butterfly
The rest of the story

Author's Note

“I am caterpillar number 1.
“He’s everyone’s older brother.”
Introducing the legendary caterpillar of Class 2, Grade 3!
The Amazing Journey of a Little Caterpillar Dreaming of a Wide World

The winner of the 20th Changbi 'Good Children's Book' manuscript contest, 'I am Caterpillar No. 7, Class 2, Grade 3', has been receiving enthusiastic support from both schools and young readers since its publication, establishing itself as a representative steady seller in the domestic children's book field.
The sequel, "I am the Legendary Caterpillar of Class 2, Grade 3," which is being released after 9 years, contains the story of the classroom before the birth of "Caterpillar Number 7."
If the protagonist of the previous work, 'Caterpillar Number 7', grew up with the help of his older larvae, this time the protagonist, 'Caterpillar Number 1', must learn how to survive on his own without anyone's guidance or advice.
Larva number 1, born from the screen on one side of the classroom, goes through many trials and errors while repeatedly asking fundamental questions about who he is and how he should live.
While boldly taking on adventures, he falls on the classroom floor where children stomp their feet, encounters his natural enemy, a stink bug, and faces a life-or-death crisis, and endures lonely times in a dark, dusty pit.
Nevertheless, Caterpillar No. 1 learns to overcome fear and believe in himself in the process of learning everything without anyone's guidance.
The courage and perseverance of Caterpillar No. 1, who overcomes fear and boldly challenges every moment, will resonate deeply with young readers.


“What will we become when we eat and eat and grow?
“That question completely occupied my mind.”
Support for those who grow through questions and adventures

The curious caterpillar number 1 asks questions when he has questions and boldly ventures out into the outside world to find answers.
After waking up from the egg and realizing that he is trapped somewhere, Caterpillar No. 1 finds a small gap and escapes through the screen door. He climbs up to the ceiling, where he can overlook the classroom, and dreams of a wider world.
One day, as he returned to the screen and continued his daily routine of eating leaves and bulking up, caterpillar number 1 was faced with a new question.


Wait, what happens next? Will we just eat leaves and grow? Suddenly, that question completely consumed my mind.
If I just eat today and tomorrow, it's too boring! Isn't there anything else I can do besides eating? (Pages 39-40)

Caterpillar #1, who wants to know the meaning of life, attempts a second escape, and an unexpected incident takes him out of the classroom.
The fresh scent of leaves and cool breeze experienced outdoors opens up a new world for caterpillar number 1.
And there, caterpillar number 1 realizes that he is a being that can become a butterfly.
Caterpillar No. 1, who returned full of expectations, tells his younger siblings about this surprising fact, but none of them believe him, having never seen a caterpillar turn into a butterfly.
Caterpillar No. 1, who attempted a third escape to gain confidence, fell into the dark and musty back of the locker because his body was more dull than before.
What future awaits Caterpillar No. 1? Even readers who already know that caterpillars eventually become butterflies will find themselves asking, "What kind of person will I grow up to be?"
The journey of caterpillar number 1, moving forward without hesitation toward the future, reminds us of the courage to never stop asking questions and the meaning of growth.


“Let’s release the caterpillars when they become butterflies.”
A fairy tale that observes the mysteries of nature up close

Like its predecessor, "I am the Legendary Caterpillar of Class 2, Grade 3" realistically depicts the cycle of nature and conveys ecological knowledge and literary sensibility.
Caterpillar number 1, trapped behind a locker, tries to escape in fear, but just as he is about to give up, he discovers a shell similar to his own.
The scene where caterpillar number 1 realizes that it is a pupa and regains hope is one of the most beautiful scenes in this work.

Finally arrived at the windowsill.
I immediately threw up the thread and hugged myself tightly to the corner.
Then, as if it had been waiting, the skin cracked open.
So I shed my last layer.
My body and mind are extremely tired.
(…) My soft body quickly became stiff.
Before I knew it, I was trapped in a hard shell.
And then the unthinkable happened.
My body slowly melted away.
It's gone! My body, transformed into liquid, filled the pupa.
(Pages 83-84)

Caterpillar number 1 finally realizes that all caterpillars are destined to become butterflies.
The process of the shell cracking and the body melting away is scary and painful, but I also accept that I have to go through that time to grow wings.
This moment of change, leaving the familiar world and entering an unfamiliar one, reminds me of a growing child.
In this way, author Kim Won-ah delicately depicts the entire process of a caterpillar eating leaves, shedding its skin, becoming a pupa, and being reborn as a butterfly, reminding us once again that the essence of growth lies not in 'perfection' but in 'change' itself.
Artist Lee Ju-hee's paintings vividly capture the moment a caterpillar grows and create unique characters, adding to the fun and creating a lovely caterpillar story.
The story of "The Legendary Caterpillar," filled with curiosity and courage toward the unknown, is a heartwarming work that encourages young readers to believe in their own potential and grow up confidently, and will be loved for a long time.