2008 New York Times Best Illustrated Book Selection
A girl's happy day, as seen by Lee Su-ji, author of "Zoo."

The new book, “Let’s Play with Waves,” by Lee Su-ji, a picture book author known not only in Korea but also around the world, has been published by Biryongso.
Selected as a New York Times Best Illustrated Book in 2008, this wordless picture book dynamically and vividly captures the day of a girl visiting the beach using only free ink lines and the colors blue and white.
This is the first work by a Korean author to be included in the "Biryongso's Picture Books" series, which features high-quality works by world-renowned picture book masters, and is receiving global attention, with the rights being sold to Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Brazil, and Japan.


Author Lee Su-ji, who is also active overseas, received the 'Most Beautiful Book of Switzerland' award from the Swiss Ministry of Culture for 'La revanche des lapins' published by La joie de lire in Switzerland, and was selected as the Illustrator of the Year at the Bologna Children's Book Fair.
Alice in Wonderland, published by the Italian publisher Corraini, is recognized for its artistic quality and is included in the artist book collection of Date Modern in the UK.
The first picture book published in Korea, 『Zoo』 (Biryongso), was selected as one of the 2008 Outstanding Picture Books by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), and was also published in France and the United States.
Lee Su-ji's works, which vividly and densely capture the psychology of children while crossing the worlds of reality and fantasy, possess a rich charm that can be enjoyed and empathized with by not only children but also adults around the world.


A fun water play with waves, girls, and seagulls
On a sunny summer day, the exciting day of a girl playing at the beach, the waves, and seagulls is vividly conveyed through pictures alone, without words.
The girl who saw the sea and ran to the beach in one go looks at the sea with curious eyes, but is still afraid to jump in and play.
It is adorable to see him turn around and run away as the crashing waves approach.
But that only lasts for a moment, and the girl seems to scare the waves by screaming at them, but before she knows it, she is splashing around and becoming friendly with the waves.
The waves roar and play again at the confident girl's kick, but the girl no longer runs away and confidently takes on the large waves.
This is the moment when the girl and the waves become one.
The girl's skirt, which had been gray for a moment, and the sky, which had been a white space, became blue like the sea.
The girl has a great time with the shells, snails, and starfish that the big waves have given her.
The mischievous seagulls who ran away with the girl and played with the waves were also excited by the wave's gift.
When I watch the girl, the waves, and the seagulls having fun playing in the water, it seems as if I can clearly hear the sound of the crashing waves, the girl's laughter, and the seagulls' cries.

This picture book captures the everyday life at the beach that everyone has experienced at least once, through the eyes and heart of a child. It provides tension and fun throughout the book, drawing you into the book.
This is because the psychological conflict between the wave and the child, which seems to be keeping each other in check, gradually grows and shrinks, and the process of them becoming friends unfolds vividly.
It is also fun to follow the child's psychological changes, such as anticipation, fear, joy, and empathy, as he encounters his new friend, the wave.


A midsummer beach scene captured with restrained colors and free lines.
This picture book has no words or bright colors.
All I have are black and blue colors using charcoal.
The lines and background are also simple.
But it tells a richer story than a book with a lot of text and lots of color.
This is because simplified lines and colors draw out the story by focusing more on the characters' expressions, actions, and psychology.
The bold ink lines are simple, yet powerful and free-flowing, making the characters' expressions and gestures appear more dynamic and vivid.
The long, horizontal format and ample margins effectively convey the feeling of a happy day on a quiet, wide beach.
If you look closely, you will find interesting stories hidden throughout the book, such as the color changes depending on the child's psychology and situation, or the differences between the front and back pages.