1.
The Hunter's Identity
2.
Daughters' hearts
3.
The iron gate is closed
4.
New wisdom
5.
The next best thing is
6.
Anyway, banana
7.
unexpected guests
8.
Memories of the Prairie
9.
Instead of hello
10.
A true adventure
11.
The owl knows
12.
In front of a closed door
13.
A Day in the Prairie
14.
First time coming

Author's Note

"A controversial work that broadened the horizons of Korean children's literature."
Winner of the 16th Kwon Jeong-saeng Literary Award
The eighth volume of the children's best-selling "Blue Lion Wanini" series has been published.

“Follow the wind that shakes your mane.
That's how baboons live."
The thrilling adventures of a baboon, the protagonist chosen by children.

The 'Blue Lion Wanini' series, which has sold over 1 million copies and established itself as a representative work of Korean children's literature, has returned with its eighth story.
This series once again proved its literary value by winning the 2025 Kwon Jeong-saeng Literary Award, marking its 10th anniversary since its publication, with favorable reviews calling it “a grand fairy tale set against the backdrop of nature.”
The protagonist of Volume 8 is the baboon, the animal that young readers have most frequently requested to appear as a protagonist since the publication of Volume 1.
Tukio, a male baboon who left his native group and became alone, wanders the grasslands until he accidentally boards a safari vehicle and arrives at a human resort, where he meets a group of baboons who survive by relying on food left behind by humans.
A resort where they can get food every day without having to hunt hard and roll around to their heart's content on well-maintained lawns seems like heaven to Toukio.
But behind the peaceful scenery, an unreasonable order is hidden, where people must live while keeping an eye on the leader's face.
At first, Toukio was content with his comfortable daily life, but he gradually realized the oppression and absurdity and decided to return to the grasslands in search of freedom.
In this new adventure, Toukio's quirky and bold choices unfold in an exciting way, and the unpredictable developments provide refreshing laughter throughout.
This work will fully satisfy the expectations of readers who have been eagerly awaiting a sequel.
This 8th volume is a side story that takes a break from the main story, and is also a story that serves as a pause to catch one's breath before the second half of the series.
The episodes of the Wanini group, which naturally permeate the story, foreshadow the worries and changes of the ten-year-old leader Wanini, and raise expectations for the upcoming ninth volume.


“That’s a lion.”
“It doesn’t look scary at all. It doesn’t even have a split front paw.”

Outrageous imagination, unexpected humor!
The funniest story in the 'Wanini' series

One of the reasons the 'Blue Lion Wanini' series has received consistent support and love over the past 10 years is because it vividly depicts the world of the grasslands, where wild animals compete fiercely for survival and where the laws of nature are respected.
The vivid depiction of the ecosystem is thanks to author Lee Hyeon's numerous direct visits to Africa and meticulous research.
Meanwhile, Volume 8 shifts its focus from the grasslands and, for the first time in the 'Wanini' series, takes the human land, and among them, a resort where tourists stay, as its main setting, adding a unique sense of fun and vitality.
The story of a group of baboons who make a living in the human world is full of witty settings and comical imagination.
Scenes such as Tukio sneaking into the back of a safari car while outwitting a lion, jumping into the pool to attract the attention of resort staff, and rushing through a restaurant window to crave a banana are memorable and cause hilarity.
In particular, the scene where the baboons search the room and leisurely steal sugar and chocolate is all the more vivid and humorous because it is based on the author's actual experience, as revealed in the "Author's Note."
Personal greetings like “Long live the split paw!” and “For a grassland without picky eaters!” and the humorous names of the baboon groups like “Pull out the lion’s teeth” and “Break down the restaurant door” also add to the overall cheerful atmosphere of the work.
This eight-volume series, exquisitely blending ecological reality, literary imagination, and quirky humor, will be beloved as the most thrilling and hilarious adventure story in the "Wanini" series.


“That was the adventure.
It was a matter of parting with familiar things.

“I had to turn away from not only the bad things, but even the good things.”

As a baboon, as a 'forked paw', cheerful and lively!
A story that strongly encourages the courage to venture into the unknown.

The story of the baboons, which brings refreshing laughter, also contains touching scenes that suddenly touch the heart.
The subtitle of Volume 8, "The Split Paws," refers to the biological characteristics of baboons, which have separate fingers like humans and can perform sophisticated hand movements, while also metaphorically symbolizing Tukio and the female baboon, "Hekima," who lead their own lives without being bound by the rules of the group.
The scene where Hekima, who lived at the resort, joins Tukio on his journey back to the plains without hesitation clearly shows the symbolism.
Hekima goes against the natural order of female baboons, who do not leave their group, and leaves her familiar space behind to step into an unfamiliar world.
“I’ve never seen a female baboon go on an adventure,” says Hekima, responding to Tukio’s comment.
“Maybe that’s why.
“Because they’ve never heard such a story, they can’t even think about leaving.” The scene where Hekima firmly bids farewell to those days when no one even thought of the possibility because no one tried, reminds us of the meaning of true freedom along with the subjectivity of life.
After many twists and turns, Tukio and Hekima arrive at the meadow and realize that living on their own is true freedom and happiness.

Meanwhile, the herd of crocodile in the grassland is also at a crossroads of change.
Ten-year-old chief Wanini feels uneasy for the first time in the face of the unfamiliar silence of his eldest daughter, Euphe, and is confused by the fact that he cannot care for the heart of the being he loves.
Euphe, who is going through growing pains, also feels lonely and feels like he is left alone in the crowd, and faces emotions that are difficult to explain.
The final chapter of Volume 8, where the threat of the investigators targeting the Black Land grows and the peace of the Wanini group is in danger, hints that they will soon reach a critical turning point.
This work will leave a deep impression on long-time fans of the series, and for readers encountering the 'Wanini' story for the first time, it will provide the independent fun of a side story, and will become another door that opens the 'Wanini world'.
Wanini's journey, which has grown while roaming the grasslands, is now moving towards its most exciting and shining moment.