1 Life Toy
2 Mom was delivered
3 Gorilla on the Roof
4 Blue Hunters
5 How to Use Mom

Winner of the 16th Changbi 'Good Children's Book' Grand Prize (lower grades)
A fresh and quirky story that questions the meaning of family.

A book that stands out for its unique and fairytale-like idea of ​​ordering and using a mother.
'Toys of Life' is a fun story about how the main character teaches his mother the role of a mother one by one and how they become a real family together.
The story, which is full of humor and deep emotion, tackles the unconventional subject of 'Assembled Mother' in a serious way.
We are delighted to see the emergence of a new, ambitious writer who portrays the most universal theme of 'family' through a special 'mother' never before seen in our fairy tales.


“Ding dong! The mom you ordered has arrived.”
Please be a real mother who understands my heart!

“It’s novel and powerful.
The mother in this work is completely different from the mothers that children are accustomed to seeing in their daily lives or from the mother characters that appear in most fairy tales.
The process in which a mother, a created 'product', learns the 'role and function of a mother' one by one from a blank slate and forms true love with her child leaves a deep impression.
“It is a fairy tale with a dual code that is both a narrative that speaks to the hearts of young readers and a story that makes adults reflect on the true role of parents and the meaning of family.”_Judges’ Comments (Kim Ki-jeong, Seon Anna, Won Jong-chan)

"How to Use Mom" ​​is a work in which a mother and child find the answer to what a true family is.
The subject matter is universal, but the story captivates readers from the provocative first scene, where a boy begs to "buy me a mom."
Hyun-soo, who has never had a mother, pesters his father to order a life-size toy mother.
Hyun-soo, who started assembling and using his mother on his own, expects to be happy soon, but his mother only does housework and does not approach him.
Hyunsu, who had hoped for a mother who would order him around, scold him, and watch the clouds with him, and a mother who would hug him and tell him she loved him, is greatly disappointed (pages 67-68).
Following his grandfather's advice, Hyun-soo gradually teaches his mother what he wants, and his mother, though clumsy, gradually learns how to love him.
And as precious moments together accumulate, we become a true family, sharing love and memories with each other.
The idea of ​​assembling and using a mother like a robot or doll is enough to pique children's curiosity, and the structure in which the roles of mother and child are reversed is perfect for children to actively express their wishes through words and actions.
The judges, in selecting this work, praised it as “fresh and powerful,” and cited its greatest strength as “showing that even a familiar subject can become a completely new story depending on the format and perspective.”
Children will find reading a unique story both enjoyable and refreshing.


A child desperately waiting for his mother to be born
A mother who learns step by step like a newborn baby

When Hyunsoo first notices his mother's box among the boxes, his heart races and he reads the instructions several times before carefully assembling it.
So, in the scene where the mother wakes up (pages 39-40), Hyun-soo's anxious yet expectant appearance reminds us of parents waiting for their baby to be born.
And mothers who learn to love their children one by one like newborn babies resemble children learning about the world.
Hyunsoo and his mother swap not only their roles but also their emotions.
Young readers express their own feelings through Hyun-soo, while also experiencing their mother's heart.
I learn that 'Mom is learning about me too' and that she may make mistakes, so I have to be patient.
It is a joy to watch the 'growth' of a mother who takes care of Hyunsu's way to and from school, reads books to him, and takes him on walks with him.
Hyun-soo's fight against the blue hunter who tries to collect his mother, saying that she is broken, and his willingness to part ways for her are also similar to the daily lives of mothers who try to protect their children in danger.
The story, which is always cheerful and full of humor and nonsense, is never light because it contains such profound emotions hidden throughout.
Painter Kim Jung-seok uses simple and warm drawings to depict subjects that may be unfamiliar to children, making the story feel more relatable.

A well-crafted story, clever humor, and the birth of a new storyteller.

The author naturally and wittily pushes the novel concept of assembling and using the mother to the end.
Because there is no detailed explanation of the situation, the reader is immediately drawn into the story.
The quick-paced story, written in concise and humorous sentences, naturally incorporates characters with unique personalities, such as a father pressed for time and work, a curious girlfriend, and an indifferent teacher, making it hard to believe that this is a new writer's skill.
Dangerous elements, such as the old lady next door who hates life toys and the gorilla with a story, are placed in the right places to add tension to the story.
In particular, the scene where Hyun-soo reminisces about his mother after she leaves dramatically reveals Hyun-soo's sadness without any direct expression of emotion.
The ending, where Hyun-soo is embraced by his mother, who appears after a long journey as his 'real mother', provides readers with sufficient satisfaction as a reward for completing this adventure.
A writer who touches the hearts of children, a new storyteller with a fresh perspective and sensibility has been born.