Grandma Ma’s Sweet Songpyeon

Book introduction

A new work by Kwon Min-jo, author of the popular bestseller 『Grandma's Journey to Yonggung』!
『Grandma Ma's Sweet Songpyeon』, a picture book full of warm emotions like a grandmother and rich fun like Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving Day)

A new work by author Minjo Kwon, which talks about the meaning of ‘coexistence’ using the characters and settings of old stories, has been published. Inspired by Korea's representative creation myth, 'Grandma Mago', an exciting and touching story unfolds against the background of Chuseok, the largest folk holiday. Grandma Ma has created a world with all the creations and lives in the mysterious Mt. Mago! Her grandmother invites her animal friends to Mt. Mago on Chuseok, the day of the biggest full moon, and treats them to carefully prepared songpyeon. But no one came to this Chuseok. In the end, her grandmother decides to go down to the world below her mountain herself... … What happened to her animal friends?

Publisher review

Chuseok with a full moon,
Grandma Ma's outing into the world in search of animal friends

Since ancient times, on Chuseok, everyone gathers together to make songpyeon and share food. Grandma Ma also invites her animal friends every Chuseok and serves her songpyeon. Who is Grandma Ma? It is said that if you cough once, a field is created, and if you poop once, a mountain becomes... That's right, her grandmother. Every time her grandmother moved, the mountain shook and the ground split apart. After she created the world, she lived on the mysterious Mago Mountain deep in the forest. My grandmother, who was so curious about what was going on in the world, invited her animal friends to listen to her stories about the world on Chuseok, the day of the biggest full moon, and shared songpyeon (songpyeon) she had carefully made. If Grandma Ma eats her songpyeon during the Chuseok holidays, her animal friends will survive the winter cold.

Finally, the long-awaited Chuseok is right under her nose. Grandma Ma has been waiting for her animal friends now and then. But no one came to her even after a day. Her grandmother pricked her ears to hear what was going on down the mountain, but she heard nothing. Her grandmother became more worried about her and decided to go down to the world herself. What really happens to her animal friends? Will Grandma Ma and her animal friends be able to get together and eat songpyeon? Shall we join Grandma Ma on her outing into the world in search of her animal friends?

From the charming Grandma Ma to environmental issues and the mysterious sweet songpyeon…
A picture book that is like a comprehensive gift set full of fun and meaning.

In 『Her Grandmother's Journey to the Dragon Palace』, a much more powerful grandmother appeared than the haenyeo grandmother who saved sea animals while shouting majestically. Grandmother Ma, who used to live in the form of a giant, eats the ‘Wow Transformation Pill’ given to her by her full moon, and she transforms into an ordinary grandmother with permed hair, flower-patterned pants, and a large backpack. She somehow feels friendlier and warmer. The appearance of the divine goddess in mythology and the familiar appearance of our grandmother were exquisitely harmonized to create the charming protagonist ‘Grandma Ma’.

Grandma Ma descends into the world and encounters her animal friends suffering from lack of development and environmental pollution. At that moment, Grandma Ma’s mysterious and great ‘goddess’ abilities shine one by one. To save the golden frogs that can't breathe due to pesticides, her grandmother walks through the rice fields as if washing clothes, rubs them, beats them, sucks them, and squeezes out all the pesticide water. She then runs through tidal flats, rivers, and even mountains, saving her animal friends one after another with her Grandma Masi's special abilities. She is like our grandmother who does difficult things for her children. She returns to Mt. Mago and her grandmother prepares the most special songpyeon in the world for her tired and tired animal friends.

Attractive characters, timely topics, and even food stories to share... 『Grandma Ma's Sweet Honey Songpyeon』 is a picture book that is like a comprehensive gift set that kills two birds with one stone: fun and meaning.

Living happily together, reflecting on the true meaning of ‘coexistence’

“Guys, everyone, don’t be sick and don’t get hurt.
“Let’s get together every year to make sweet songpyeon and eat it.”

Grandma Ma ensures that her animal friends are well fed.
She steamed a generous amount of songpyeon.
Her animal friends ate the chewy and sweet songpyeon to their hearts content.
Then I felt energized again and my strength surged.

Grandma Ma makes special songpyeon for her animal friends who are tired of her worldly life. Originally, songpyeon was a food made by the family sitting around together with the new rice harvested that year. She once again realizes that food is filled with gratitude for nature that gave her space throughout the year and the meaning of shared life. The songpyeon prepared by Grandma Ma this time is filled with special ingredients that comfort and comfort those who are tired of her life. However, Grandma Ma makes plenty of sweet songpyeon and gives it to people. It seems that she is telling him to find a way to live together while protecting her environment in the spirit of giving the ugly guy one more piece of cake. How about eating the sweet songpyeon that Grandma Ma gave you and thinking about the meaning of ‘coexistence’ where we all live happily together?

The harmony of easily readable text and refreshing illustrations, the power of author Minjo Kwon

It is no exaggeration to say that the work's style, which uses settings and characters from old stories to naturally express a clear theme, is now author Minjo Kwon's patented genre. In 『Grandma's Journey to Yonggung』, the 'Byeoljubujeon' composition and the character of a generous female diver grandmother combine to solve the problem of marine debris in a pleasant way, and in 『Mongdol Seaweed Soup』, the theme of 'the joy of sharing' is presented in the form of a mysterious dragon character and an old story. It was served warm. In particular, her debut work, 『Grandma's Journey to the Dragon Palace』, has been loved by more readers recently as it has spread by word of mouth since its publication. It has also been selected as a recommended book by various organizations such as Gyeongnam Reading Festival, National Human Rights Commission Children's Human Rights Book List, and Literature Sharing.

In 『Grandma Ma's Sweet Honey Songpyeon』, you can feel the author's even stronger power. The compositional power of weaving together various materials and topics is outstanding, and the easy-to-read text and clear, refreshing illustrations are in harmony to create a high-quality picture book. The author, who was always interested in Korea's extinct animals, created a rich story by adding various settings and elements such as the Mago Halmi myth and Chuseok. Even though he is not an art major, he captures the reader's attention with each scene filled with attractions, such as gorgeous colors, colorful and bold screen composition, and humorous character expressions.

Publication date: September 1, 2023
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Number of pages, weight, size 44 pages | 210*280*15mm