Fill the lock
Not even a rose
New things that give you a headache
Are you a thief?
The Mouse, the Garden, and the Turtle
grumpy old man
My keys secretly
Find the rat
grandma
Second bad thing
Button to go to the 4th floor
Little by little, it's a secret

Author's Note

“Everyone has secrets they don’t want to tell anyone.”
Hwang Seon-mi's literature that offers comfort and empathy

Author Hwang Seon-mi, who has depicted the innermost thoughts and dazzling growth of children through the theme of secrets in works such as 『Secret I Want to Know』, 『What Happened to the Shoes One Day』, and 『Shining Shadow』, has returned with 『A Secret That Sparkles』.
This book brightly and cheerfully depicts the process in which Bom-in, who seems to be brisk and sharp, but also delicate and tearful, and her uncle, who has been living alone but suddenly has to take on the role of a father, become a real family, just like the cheerfulness contained in her nickname, 'Charlangi'.
Additionally, the process of Bom-in finding out her uncle's secret unfolds with suspense until the very end.

Just as a full body of water overflows, no matter how tightly we hide a secret, it reveals itself regardless of our will and leaves us flustered.
Does that mean it's okay for anyone to tell that secret?
The main character of this book, Bom-in, one morning, against her will, ends up living with an unsavory uncle.
I'm really uneasy about living with my uncle, who seems unemployed and has some kind of suspicious secret.
However, the uncle's secret, which he had never expected, becomes more and more evident and reveals its true face, leaving Bom-in flustered.
But I still don't want to tell anyone the real reason why I live with my uncle.

The author delicately portrays the duality of Bom-in's mind, as she pretends that her grandmother, who is losing her memory, is still the vice principal, pretends to respect her mom and dad who are in Africa taking care of other children while hating them, and pretends not to know what her uncle means when he says he will be a good father while knowing what he means. The author shows that everyone has secrets and that they need time to catch their breath to properly face those secrets.
Because the more time we spend holding that secret, the stronger our hearts will grow.
That's why sometimes we need a loving heart that pretends not to know a secret even though it knows it.

I have a secret too.
I don't really want to talk, so I won't talk until I feel like talking.
I think sometimes secrets make the heart grow fonder.
_From the author's note

One of the greatest gifts literature can give us is that it not only comforts us but also allows us to understand and empathize with those we have never experienced before.
In particular, this work captures the heart of a child who wants to protect his or her secrets and dignity in any situation, making it a must-read for adults who respect and love children.

“I will choose who is the right guardian for me!”
The birth of a charming children's character that will be talked about for a long time.

The protagonist of this book is a charming character with a voice worthy of note in our children's literature.
When Bom-in was only five years old, she was separated from her parents and lived with her grandmother. When her grandmother went into a nursing home, she ended up living with her uncle, with whom she was not very close.
Despite the uncomfortable and unfamiliar situation of being in her uncle's house, Bom-in tries to keep to the 9 o'clock school start time and gives her uncle, who only gives her toast and milk every morning, a nutritious diet that a child should eat.
Also, just as his grandmother taught him, the more awkward a person is, the more he should act like a fool. Even when he is teased for his disheveled hair, he keeps his chin up and gives an absurd reason to maintain his dignity.

Even at home, children often have no voice and simply follow the decisions made by adults.
For children like Bomin, who are placed in an uncomfortable and unfamiliar environment, it is not easy to find their voice.
But that doesn't mean all children lost their voices.
Just as Pippi, a girl who spoke out boldly in a world that wanted children to keep their mouths shut and listen well, was born, there have always been children who spoke out in one way or another.

Bom-in, who sings to her grandmother who orders her around the house, “Cinderella lost her mother when she was young, and was abused by her stepmother and sisters,” and who proudly tells her landlord, the grandfather, who plucks out flowers indiscriminately because they are his land, that she will pay for the flowers’ lives, and who says, “I choose who is the right guardian for me” even after learning an unbearable secret, is a charming and confident child character who should be talked about for a long time in our children’s literature.

Also, author Kim Jeong-eun, who delicately captures the characters' emotions through facial expressions in bright and clear pictures, portrays the characters of Bom-in, who seems strong but is delicate and tearful, and the uncle, who seems blunt but is soft on the inside, with his unique liveliness and loveliness, making readers smile throughout the book.