December 21, 2012

The Cup Story gallery cafe

There is a small and very special exhibition at The Cup Story gallery cafe in Jongro-gu Seoul. Two of my art prints are framed and showcased along with other picture book artists include Shaun Tan and Dongsung Kim. Today I visited this cafe with my editor friend who curated this show. We never have enough time for our endless conversation. :-) 
All of the framed art prints and mugs are available for purchase. If you are interested, you can also visit Soojung edition website. High quality limited art print from various picture books include some of my art prints from my book The Little Red Fish and Only a Witch Can Fly are available. 
Please visit Soojung edition. http://www.soojungedition.com/ 









December 20, 2012

Cheers for TUA!

Tua And The Elephant made it on to the Chicago Public Library’s Best Books for Kids 2012 List in the FICTION FOR YOUNGER READERS CATEGORY!!!
http://www.chipublib.org/forkids/kidsbooklists/bestofbest_list.php

And you will be able to read paperback edition of Tua And The Elephant 2013 Fall!

July 17, 2012

The Elephant's Voice review


The Elephant Nature Park's magazine, The Elephant's Voice reviewed Tua and the Elephant for their current issue. 

The Elephant Nature Park is a place where provides a sanctuary and rescue centre for elephants in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The author Randy Harris inspired from the trip to the Elephant Nature Park to write this story.

June 26, 2012

Tua and the Elephant is going to be translated in Korean language! I am so happy to share this book with Korean young readers!

April 30, 2012

Book reading at Power House





I did book reading and signing at Power House Arena this past sunday afternoon. I was very happy to read my book with kids followed each poses from the book. Thank you all who came to the event!

April 28, 2012

Book reading at Power House Arena

This Sunday, April 29th, from 4~5pm, I will be reading and signing my book You Are a Lion And Other Fun Yoga Poses!
Mac Barnett the author of Chloe&the Lion will also read his book and sign.
Please come by if you are around.

The Power House Arena  37 Main Street(corner of Water&Main St.) DUMBO, Brooklyn
call 718.666.3049

March 29, 2012

It's yoga time!



Joshua is having fun reading and stretching with yoga poses. I love how he poses following the kids in the book You Are a Lion! He is pretty good, huh?

Please send me some photos of kids reading and enjoying You Are a Lion book by end of April. I will pick 3 people and send a signed copy of You Are a Lion!
You can send me photos at tae@taeeunyoo.com


March 15, 2012

Happy publication day!







You Are a Lion! and other fun yoga poses, my second author book is finally out!
And even better news is that The New York Times children's book gave it a wonderful review!

...“You Are a Lion!” provides clear and inspirational guidelines.
The final spread shows an array of children sprawled out on a fresh lawn, arms spread wide, eyes closed –- in a posture that, in less enlightened times, would look just like daydreaming. - The New York Times

Please look for the book at local or online book store.

February 23, 2012

School Library Journal review for You Are a Lion!

Another great review from School Library Journal!

PreS-Gr 2-The increasing popularity of yoga has even babies practicing asanas, and this picture book is a fun way to get toddlers started. Paired spreads introduce a pose in simple non-rhyming verse, accompanied by an image of a child on a small circle of grass (think yoga mat) in the middle of white pages; the spread that follows reveals the pose in a nature setting along with the creature the pose imitates. The instructions for the poses are extremely basic and appropriate for young children; the illustrations will encourage participation and some rambunctiousness. The sweet, colorful digital illustrations are melded with block prints and pencil and include half a dozen children of various ethnicities demonstrating such poses as a lion, a butterfly, a cobra, a downward-facing dog, and a few others. The soft hues and natural settings convey the spirit of a yoga class while looking like children at play outdoors. The text reads almost like haiku and will be simple to recite during a storytime or a yoga practice. There is no discussion of yoga, no Sanskrit beyond a couple of appropriately placed "Namaste" greetings, and the activities could be used to corral the energy of a rowdy group or an individual child. This is a good choice for introducing yoga into storytime programs, even for librarians who have never practiced a pose.-Susan Oliver, Tampa-Hillsborough Public Library System, FL 


February 16, 2012

Review for You Are a Lion



My second author book You Are a Lion also received a lovely review from Kirkus! The book is going to be available on March 15th.

Sometimes a stretch of the imagination is good for the body, as well.

Seven simple yoga poses (lion, butterfly, dog, snake, frog, cat, mountain) and a rest pose are depicted by a rounded and multiethnic group of preschoolers. An opening scene shows six children gathered in a grassy meadow: “When the golden sun rises / Warm rays fill the garden / Children all gather / Namaste to the morning.” Each subsequent pose is shown in a two-page spread in which a different child demonstrates the pose (“Sit on your heels / Hands on our knees / Tongue out! / You are a …”). This is followed by a two-page opening in which the creature joins the child, and the world around becomes its habitat (“…LION / King of the jungle / Roaring so loud / Make the woods rumble”). Yoo’s palette is filled with warm colors, and her block-print and line drawings fill the space without overwhelming it. The generous white space in these openings, along with the friendly type, adds to the overall feeling of invitation and encouragement. This is a pleasingly uncomplicated introduction to yoga that can also simply be read as an invitation to play.

A celebration of the ways that even young children can experience the wide world through their bodies as well as their minds. (Picture book. 2-7)

Review for Tua and the Elephant

Tua and the Elephant (written by R. P. Harris) received the very first review from Kirkus and it is starred review! How exciting!

"How do you hide an elephant? Inspired by a trip to an Asian elephant refuge, Harris transports young readers to the lands of curry, banana leaves and the bustling Chiang Mai Night Market. Little 9-year-old Tua, which means "peanut" in Thai, finds a young, but very large captured elephant. Their connection is instant. But this elephant is chained, used as tourist bait. Tua must face dangers including poachers and treacherous rivers as she steals away with the young elephant, pursued by two menacing mahouts, or elephant drivers. Naming her new friend Pohn Pohn, Tua escapes with her to a Buddhist temple, where she learns of an elephant preserve in the mountains. Will Tua be successful in getting Pohn Pohn into the preserve? For a book aimed at middle graders, kudos on three fronts: providing a child's-eye view of Thailand with foreign words to be decoded in context, creating a strong connection between the elephant and the girl and using a simple vocabulary to introduce the complex issue of poaching. Yoo's multiple illustrations, done in charcoal and linoleum block prints, catapult the story even higher. Foreign yet familiar, the action is often humorous and reinforces the sweet bond between pachyderm and "peanut." A rousing adventure that introduces the issue of elephant trafficking in a gentle and appropriate way" - Kirkus Reviews Starred Review

January 25, 2012

A fun exhibition.



I am very happy to be included in this fun exhibition called IN THE STUDIO at St. John's University. In this exhibition, eight children's book artists will showcase each of their work process and some of the final art work with published books. I collected some of my sketches, dummy book, block print proof, and final art from my book Only a Witch Can Fly written by Alison McGhee. Please visit the show if you are around.

January 13, 2012

Mom&I magazine interview


I had this lovely interview with Mom&I magazine (January issue) awhile ago. Mom&I is a Korean magazine which is published in U.S. for Korean American. I met Sally, the editor of the magazine, and we talked over a pot of coffee at a cafe. She was a wonderful person to talk to and I enjoyed lots of coffee. Many thanks to Sally!

지난 겨울 인터뷰했던 Mom&I 1월호가 나왔습니다. Mom&I 는 미국에 사시는 교포분들을 위한 잡지입니다. 편안하게 인터뷰 진행해주시고 기사도 너무나 잘 써주신 샐리씨 감사드립니다~!

January 8, 2012

New Year, New Book!





I received the best Christmas gift from Chronicle Books last year. Tua and the Elephant is finally ready to be out this spring! This is my very first chapter book that I illustrated. The cover art is printed on a matt type paper which is my favorite! And the interior illustration colors turned out very nicely.
Big thanks to Julie and Eloise !!!

지난 여름,겨울 그림작업했던 책이 드디어 2012년 4월 출판됩니다. 역시 Chronicle 출판사의 디자인 감각은 참...작가에게 그림작업후 보람을 느끼게 합니다. 작업 열심히 해서 보냈는데 디자인이 엉망이면 다리에 힘이 쫙 풀리거든요. 이번 책은 처음으로 두가지 색 분판인쇄 작업을 했는데 전부터 너무나 해보고 싶었던 꿈의 프로젝트였습니다. 또 하고 싶어요~ 또 시켜주세요~
에디터 쥴리와 디자이너 엘로이즈에게 많은 감사를 드립니다!