ㆍ Start observation
1.
rotten seeds
2.
Emerging cotyledons
3.
A secret only I didn't know
4.
light green heart
5.
A walk in the rain
6.
Root move
7.
fallen flowers
8.
Mom and I
9.
The birth of a pod
10.
Life goes round and round
11.
Again, kidney beans
Observation impressions

Author's Note

Based on the familiar children's story of 'growing kidney beans'
A fairy tale with a unique message of growth

Every spring, when the new semester begins, it is easy to see pots of kidney beans crowded together in elementary school classrooms.
Growing kidney beans is a consistently ongoing classroom activity in schools because it allows students to observe the life cycle of a plant within three months and to directly observe the abstract concept of growth.
Author Won-Ah Kim, a current teacher, added insight into growth to her experience growing beans with children in the classroom, creating a unique coming-of-age story.


Every day when fourth grader Junyoung goes to school, he puts his bag down on his desk and heads towards the classroom window.
To take care of his own kidney bean, 'Kongkongi'.
But Junyoung's journey of raising Kongkong is not going smoothly.
It's because of my classmate Ki-hoon.
In fact, Junyoung and Kihoon were very close, but after a huge fight a year ago that involved their families, they stopped saying hello to each other.
However, Junyoung's mind is agitated as he keeps getting tangled up with Kihoon because of his activities of growing kidney beans.
The author contrasts the uncomfortable situations of Kangnangkong and Junyoung, who are growing quietly, and interestingly portrays the growth of the children as they take each step forward through a precariously shaky process.
This book is the first volume in the new children's literature series "Story Friends" presented by Changbi Education, which aims to help children become familiar with literature through fun and powerful stories.

Sentences that fully embody the child's world of language
A picture that doubles the emotion and fun of the story

When I read author Kim Won-ah's sentences, I feel as if I am actually in the middle of a classroom.
Moreover, since it progresses from Junyoung's first-person perspective, we can read Junyoung's honest and unvarnished expression of emotions, and those parts even bring out empathetic laughter.
The story is filled with author Kim Won-ah's signature comfortable and stable sentences that intimately capture the world of children's language, making it an enjoyable read.

The vibrant yet delicate paintings of artist Lee Ju-hee further enhance the story's emotion and fun.
The artist used a flower pot as a stage rather than an everyday classroom to create a visual freshness, and through the composition of the scene with the same composition but clear differences in expression, he poignantly captured the heightening and resolution of conflict.
Additionally, the colors that represent each character were carefully set, such as pink for Junyoung, yellow for Kihoon, and blue for Jiwoo, to create an interesting portrayal of the characters' personalities and relationships.

A book that indirectly teaches the elementary science concept of 'the life cycle of a plant'.

This work unfolds along the growth process of a kidney bean, which serves as a driving force that keeps the reader reading until the end, while also helping the reader naturally understand the entire process of 'a kidney bean's life'.
In addition, the 3rd unit of the 4th grade, 1st semester of the elementary school science textbook includes 'The Life Cycle of a Plant', so it would be perfect to use this book when conducting integrated education or reading of whole works at school.


A fairy tale that encourages the independent and strong growth of children who resemble beans.

The 'kong' in the story represents the child himself, who struggles and grows in relationships even today.
Even without anyone teaching them, kidney beans bloom and bear fruit one by one in order.
In this way, the main characters also muster up the courage to talk to their estranged mothers and readily lend a helping hand to those in need.
Readers will have a meaningful time cheering on the future of independent children while also discovering what seeds of their own hearts may be sprouting within them.
I recommend this quiet yet powerful story of growth to children as well as their parents and teachers who are currently supporting their growth.