Kimchi (김치) is a delicious staple of Korean cuisine, with growing popularity the world over. In the US, several states have even declared an official Kimchi Day on November 22nd to celebrate the dish’s importance. The recently released picture book Slippery, Spicy, Tingly: A Kimchi Mystery by author-illustrator Yangsook Choi is all about kimchi and what makes it particularly special to one little boy and Halmoni, his grandmother. We were recently able to sit down with Choi to gain some insight into how this tasty snack inspired her, as well as how Korean culture, food, and heritage shape her work as an author and illustrator. Let’s go!
About Yangsook Choi
Yangsook Choi is the author of the bestselling classic The Name Jar and the newly released Slippery, Spicy, Tingly: A Kimchi Mystery, among others. Growing up in Korea, she began drawing at age four and delighted in telling her grandmother scary stories at night. After moving to New York to pursue her art, she has written and illustrated many books for young readers.
Her books have been acclaimed as a New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year, an American Library Association Notable Book, and an International Literacy Association’s Children’s Book Award. She has also received 200+ rejection letters until she lost count.
Her past jobs include waiting tables at a smoky Korean BBQ restaurant, flying as a flight attendant, and drawing tiny pictures on fake nails.
Thank you for speaking with us, Yangsook! Let’s get started.
What sort of fun should readers expect from Slippery, Spicy, Tingly?
Throughout history, people have buried more than just the dead. Vikings and pirates buried their stolen treasures, like gold and jewels, in secret spots. The children’s author Roald Dahl was buried with two of his favorite things: pencils and chocolate. He loved them so much that he took them with him forever.
How about Koreans? What’s Koreans’ favorite treasure to bury? From Slippery, Spicy, Tingly, readers will find out what Koreans have been burying for centuries. It’s not gold, it’s not jewels, it’s definitely not pencils!
What inspired you to become a writer and illustrator of picture books?
I’m a visual artist by nature and by training. I’d never even dreamed of becoming a writer. Words are like prickly cacti to me — a little scary to look at and hard to handle! One day, my editor took me out to lunch and asked me to write a story.
“Write, not just draw, Yangsook,” she said. And in English! English is the biggest monster I’ve ever encountered. Imagine the double panic I had. I wanted to eat a gallon of ice cream right then and there to ease my anxiety. It was kind of hard to say no to someone who picked up the bill at a nice restaurant, so I said, “Why not?” That was how I started to write stories.
What do you hope young readers take away from the characters and art you create?
My hope is that young readers will recognize that characters, like people, are wonderfully diverse in their thoughts and actions. Sometimes, a person may seem confusing, even mysterious, or their actions may puzzle us. One great way to learn about them is by looking deeply through the eyes of patience. True understanding comes from looking beneath the surface, whether in human behavior or the subtle mysteries of nature. Curiosity and openness become our most powerful tools, inviting us to unravel the mysteries with wonder.
On your website, you talk about how much you enjoy connecting with children globally through making art alongside them. How do these experiences influence your writing and illustration?
I regularly volunteer to play with kids living in local shelters. When I travel to remote areas overseas, I bring my art supplies and have instant art sessions with kids I meet. I’m a ninja artist ready with my hidden art supplies and breaking them out when the moment calls. Fwish! Grab pencil 7B! Fwish! Catch the neon-colored papers!
Art, to me, is a global language. I’d do a “Double Doodle,” where I doodle an image and invite a kid to doodle back. It’s one-on-one and immersive. There is an openness and real connection with the children. As their hands express their unconscious thoughts across the paper, their big whimsical ideas, epic scribbles, and hidden dreams spill out before my eyes. Trust me, it’s not all just blobs and minions and unicorns. I get a glimpse into a future life story sprouting in every child. They see it, too, with their visions growing sharper in focus. I get very excited when I wonder, “What story will this kid build?” Every kid is an individual who can learn to construct the life story they’ve doodled.
I’m passionate about helping children see themselves as the protagonists of their life stories. These authentic interactions help me grow as a creative person. To write authentically from their perspective, I need to be more than an observer — I need to be their friend. Thankfully, art bridges us.
What is your favorite reaction that a fan, young or old, has had to your work?
A grandmother who purchased one of my books for her baby granddaughter, Emma, wrote to me. “Emma always takes your book off the shelf and tries to eat it.”
Childhood reads have such a tremendous impact on us as adults. What is one memorable book from your childhood that you still think about today?
Sherlock Holmes mysteries. They were an invitation to expand my understanding and grow through uncharted experiences. When something smells fishy, just follow the scent and learn through the mystery it brings!
A huge thank you to Yangsook for sharing her work and her time with us! Be sure to find her online at yangsookchoi.com and on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X. Lastly, don’t forget to add Slippery, Spicy, Tingly: A Kimchi Mystery to your family’s reading list!
To read more of our one-on-one features with authors and illustrators, check out our author interviews page.
To see all of our reading recommendations for mini bookworms, check out our Bookshop bookshelf.
