VOL.78/2025.01

 

Noran Sangsang Books

Fostering imagination and critical thinking to broaden the world children dream of

 

2025.01.06

 

Books are a valuable guide in everyone’s life. For children, they are especially important as they are a magical tool that allows them to expand their thoughts and imagination. Noran Sangsang Books, which aims to empower children to think by fostering their imagination, has been making quality picture books that help them learn about social relationships and open their eyes to the world. Though small in size, Noran Sangsang Books aspires to be big in its dreams, and is expanding an environment where children can grow up happily and healthily through the good influence of books. Following is an interview with Noran Sangsang Books, which publishes books that support children’s growth, books that children can enjoy, and picture books that are both beautiful and artistic.

 

 

It’s a pleasure to have you with us on K-Book Trends. Please introduce Noran Sangsang Books to our international readers along with the meaning of the company’s name.

 

“Read with your heart, Noran Sangsang Books,” is the main slogan that introduces our publishing house. It signifies our aim to make books that children can read with their hearts, not just skim through with their eyes, and thus develop their power of thinking. We believe that imagination is one of the most important factors for such books. So, we named our publishing house “Noran Sangsang,” which means “yellow imagination” in Korean, to emphasize the color yellow, which symbolizes the world of children, and the power of imagination to protect their world.

 

You have published about 180 children’s books since your foundation in 2010. Is there a particular reason for focusing on children’s books, and what are your thoughts on the direction that children’s books should take and the role they should play over the course of your business?

 

Our CEO used to work as a marketer for a publisher of social science books, and was responsible for introducing readers to books that played an important role during Korea’s democratization movement. Then, when the German picture book Der Schilderputzer, published in Korea in 2000, and became a bestseller, he realized the power of picture books in conveying the true values of life to children through beautiful text and illustrations. So, when he started the publishing house in 2010, he decided to focus on translating and publishing high-quality picture books from abroad in Korea. Over time, he partnered with talented editors to increase the proportion of Korean picture books and fairy tales, and today, more than 80% of the books published annually are by Korean authors.
As we have always valued the relationship between books and society, we are still very interested in bringing social issues such as history, human rights, and the climate crisis into children’s books. We see it as our calling to help children and adults develop a shared perspective on the world through books; however, it is equally important to us to publish books that support children’s growth, books that children can enjoy, and books that are both beautiful and artistic.

 

 

We felt the power of picture books in conveying true life values to children through beautiful text and illustrations.

 

 

Having been a specialized children’s book publisher for over 15 years, how do you think the market has changed, and how do you see Noran Sangsang Books’ competitiveness in the face of the growing influence of K-picture books in children’s literature in general?

 

Until the early 2000s, Korea’s children’s book market had been on a steady upward trajectory as the baby boomers, or democratization generation, became parents. As good picture books from abroad poured into Korea, readers’ standards and the creative capacity of Korean authors rose along with them. Unfortunately, since the 2010s, when our publishing house was founded, the market has been deteriorating as a result of a declining birth rate and a shift to digital culture, even though Korea continues to produce world-class authors. But, thanks to the efforts of teachers and reading activists who seek to introduce meaningful books to children, and the emergence of adult readers that enjoy picture books, there’s now an environment in which picture books with diverse themes and subjects, experimental picture books that try new formats and grammars, and picture books that value artistic quality are highly appreciated. We believe that our picture books are well suited to these needs, have a growing audience of enthusiastic readers, and have the elements to be widely recognized in the global market.

 

The book Sewol 1994-2014 won the special prize at the 2024 Korea Picture Book Award. Can you tell us a bit about the book?

 

This is a picture book published to mark the 10th year since the Sewol ferry tragedy in 2014, which claimed 304 precious lives. Most of the victims were high school students on a school trip, making the tragedy even more traumatic for Korean society. While some people argue that we should stop talking about it because it was just an unfortunate accident, many more see it as a tragedy that reflects the darker side of Korea’s developed society. We need to constantly remind ourselves of why this happened and how we can prevent such tragedies in the future in order to create a more mature society. It is also important to educate children about the causes and consequences of the tragedy. This book is a picture book written and illustrated by Moon Eun-A and Park Kun-Woong, who are determined to do just that. The book was lucky enough to receive the support and empathy of many readers through the Book Fund, and was awarded a special prize at the Korea Picture Book Award and shortlisted for the Korea Book Awards. We hope that such support will bring great solace to the bereaved families and survivors of the tragedy.

 

* K-Book Trends Vol. 76 – Go to the article about the 2024 Korea Picture Book Award

 

 

What are some other books published by Noran Sangsang Books that you think would resonate with children abroad and inspire their imagination?

 

The Mini House, written and illustrated by Kayoi, is about three red-haired sisters who are perplexed when their precious home gets smaller and smaller, but have fun playing with an even smaller house. The growth of children and the playful spirit are captured within fantastic illustrations.
The Red Jealousy is a book written by Jo Si-On and illustrated by Lee So-Yung that tells the story of “Red,” who used to be popular in the winter, becomes extremely jealous of “Blue” as summer approaches. When Red gets tired of trying to erase Blue’s traces and sheds tears, it realizes that its tears are blue, and comes to a great enlightenment. The use of colors to symbolize the emotion of jealousy is very refreshing.
Grandfather’s Journey is a picture book by Chilean author Paulina Hara Straussmann and Korean illustrator Yim Myo. The poem, which describes a granddaughter’s sadness at losing her beloved grandfather through a train journey filled with nostalgia and memories, is paired with beautiful, fantastical illustrations.

 

 

The role of children’s books cannot be overemphasized, given their very targeted audience and the impact they have on children’s reading habits, thinking, creativity and more. What values does Noran Sangsang Books prioritize in its approach to publishing books?

 

We believe that good books, whether written for children or adults, contribute to some level of change or growth in readers. Someone once said that a book isn’t worth reading unless it “slaps you in the back of the head” - but we hope that the books we make will make at least a small impact on a child’s mind, even if it might not be a dramatic change. Perhaps the books we make will go beyond just imparting knowledge, and influence a child’s values, attitudes toward people, and aesthetics in a much broader way. So, we pay attention to a lot of things to make sure that our books are well written and well illustrated, but especially to make sure that even the smallest things in the text and illustrations don’t hurt minorities, and that there are no stereotypes and prejudices.

 

You have been very active in book reviews (독후활동지) and participating in various book fairs. What are some of the concrete outcomes of these activities that have helped you communicate with readers and promote Noran Sangsang Books’ books?

 

As a small publishing house for many years, we have always valued in-person interaction with our readers, which is something a small publisher can do. We participate in nearly 10 book-related events a year, not only big events like the Seoul International Book Fair and Educare & Kids Fair, but also small and large events in local cities. As a result, it is quite common for people such as bookstore representatives and authors living in non-metropolitan areas to see our books in person and express their affection for them. We feel proud the most when children run up to us excited to see a book they enjoyed reading at home or school. We want to be a friendly, neighborly publisher, not a large, distant company. Sometimes we have authors who send us manuscripts after seeing how passionate we are about reaching out to readers.

 

 

We hope that what we make will leave a small, lasting impression on children’s hearts.

 

 

Children’s books are a very diverse field with a lot to consider, not only in terms of content, but also in terms of format, color, and illustration. What are some of the most important things you look for when planning a book, and could you tell us about some of the books you have published that stood out in particular?

 

While there are some standardized criteria that we apply to all works when considering whether to publish a book, we think what we look for is largely dependent on the nature of the work. Because we are essentially a commercial publisher, we check whether there is something that will appeal to a wide audience of children and adult readers, such as parents, caregivers, and teachers. It could be a unique imagination captured in the story or illustrations, a moving and meaningful theme, or beautiful images. In some cases, we choose books that we can publish just because we are Noran Sangsang Books, though the projected sales may not be high.
Written and illustrated by Miu, Crow tells the story of a crow that was trapped by the stereotypes of the world and unable to live as itself, but is reborn by listening to its inner voice, by using the words of Yeonam Park Chi-Won, a scholar of the Joseon Dynasty, as a starting point. The black-and-white images, drawn and scratched with a pen, may give off a rather gloomy vibe, but the book was chosen for the White Ravens List organized by the International Youth Library (IYL) in Germany for its potential to inspire discussions among children and adults alike.
Scales and Shards is a graphic novel written and illustrated by Kim Soo-Jin, which reveals how the clear, refreshing midsummer sea is now devastated by marine debris and overfishing. The striking, textless images made up entirely of blue and dark ink colors were recognized at the World Illustration Awards by the Association of Illustrators (AOI), which praised the young author’s bold experimentation spirit, leading to publication. It was also recently selected as an outstanding environmental book by an environmental organization.
Follow the Yellow Braille Road, written and illustrated by Park Sun-Young, is a picture book about braille blocks for the visually impaired. While they play an important role in guaranteeing the right to mobility for the visually impaired, they are often not properly connected or have other objects placed on them, hampering their walk. In this book, three bored boys follow a yellow road and play all sorts of imaginative games, inspiring readers to think about the importance of safe and accessible roads for all. By applying braille blocks to the Korean typography on the cover, we wanted to keep the subject of the book on point while still appealing to children.

 

 

Noran Sangsang Books continue to advance in the picture book market with its specialized capabilities. Please tell us about the direction that Noran Sangsang Books is taking, helping children to dream and develop the habit of familiarizing themselves with books.

 

We want to be a publishing house that values “children’s imagination” just like our name. To do that, it’s important to collaborate with imaginative writers, but it’s also important to provide them with a big, wide-open stage to showcase their talents. At Noran Sangsang Books, a small team of two editors, one designer, and two marketers are working together to provide a better stage for our writers. We will continue to strive to make high-quality, resonant books that children can enjoy for years to come.

 

 

---