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Korean picture book 'If You Want to Eat a Red Apple' wins Bologna Ragazzi award

Published: 20 Feb. 2025, 18:26 Updated: 20 Feb. 2025, 19:11

LEE JIAN
[email protected]

The cover of the children's book ″If You Want to Eat a Red Apple″ (2024), the winner of the 2025 Bologna Ragazzi Award's Opera Prima category. [BOLOGNA RAGGAZZI AWARDS]

Korean picture book "If You Want to Eat a Red Apple" (2024) won a Bologna Ragazzi award, one of the most prestigious international honors in children’s publishing, on Thursday.

Written by Jin Joo and illustrated by Lee Ga-hee under Finger Publishing, the book received a Bologna Ragazzi award in the Opera Prima category, which recognizes debuting publications by authors and illustrators.

It is the first time a Korean picture book has been recognized as the final winner in this section, which is one of the award's five permanent categories.

"If You Want to Eat a Red Apple" is a photography-based picture book with images taken by a film camera. It captures children's growth against quintessentially Korean backdrops, such as the old linoleum floors, mother-of-pearl cabinets and bus stops in rural towns.

Illustrator Lee photographed her two children, and author Jin Joo incorporated the story of an apple tree to convey themes of familial love.

"Thanks to Jin Joo's proposal, I was able to work on this book with my family, and I completed it without any strain," said Lee through a press release by the Korean Publishers Association. "I believe this award was possible because of the passion of an author who is just starting out and the support that I had. I will continue to work diligently to maintain this positive energy."

The cover of ″Star Papa" (2024), the winner of the Bologna Fazzi Cross Media Award this year [SCREEN CAPTURE]

As part of the same awards, the Korean digital children's book "Star Papa" (2024) won the Bologna Fazzi Cross Media Award as well. Published under Book Gorae and written by artist Han Dam-hee, the book is about a farmer who grows stars.

Local publishing house BIR, also known as Bilyongso, has been shortlisted for the 2025 Bologna Prize for the Best Children’s Publishers of the Year, along with 29 other companies. The final winner is slated to be announced at the 2025 Bologna Children's Book Fair, set to run for four days starting March 31 in Bologna, Italy.

Founded in 1963, the Bologna Children's Book Fair is the world’s largest publishing trade show focused on youth literature.

BY LEE JIAN [[email protected]]