Jeong Is Jeong

“What is Jeong?” a little girl asks her grandma, and so begins a lyrical journey of discovery, kindness, and understanding in this ode to Korean American language and culture.

How can one tiny word mean so much?

Luna loves spending time with her little brother Joey and their halmeoni after school—they share yummy treats, play at the park, and have a lot of fun speaking to each other in Korean and English. When Halmeoni notices Luna help Joey put on his shoes and says that she has “jeong,” they realize that some words aren’t quite translatable between their two languages.

As she, Halmeoni, and Joey go through the day, Luna uncovers the meaning of a small word that carries a lot of weight. Over time, she learns more about her family, herself, and the gorgeous culture that connects them."A poignant story that shows us we carry more than words can express." —Joanna Ho, bestselling author of Eyes That Kiss in the Corners

★ "[A] lovingly intergenerational picture book from Yoon and Lee....The clear affection between characters, drawn using watercolor, colored pencils, and digital media, radiates from the page...in this tale translating a warm concept beyond borders." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"In this empathetic work, small acts of kindness crystallize into a rich understanding of Korean culture." —Kirkus Reviews

"This warm exploration of family and community connections will feel extra familiar to multilingual readers while also speaking to the power of bonds we all share." —Booklist

"...tenderly embodies jeong through the eyes of a Korean American girl, who learns how one small word holds so much meaning: thoughtfulness, understanding, and connection."—The BulletinJessica Yoon is a Korean American children’s author who sneaks in writing late at night or while her kids are at school. As a passionate advocate of representation in children's literature, she draws from her experiences as a child of multiple cultures. She is an active member of SCBWI and the Harrisburg Asian Writers Collective. In 2023, she was awarded the Anti-Bias Book Bearer Scholarship by the Highlights Foundation. You can usually find her in sweatpants and a messy bun, slightly dehydrated and eating snacks like a gremlin.

Michelle Lee (mklillustration.com) was born and raised in Southern California. She studied printmaking and biology at UC Berkeley and earned her MS in education at the University of Pennsylvania while working as a K-8 science teacher. When not illustrating picture books, Michelle works as a freelance illustrator/designer and maintains a children’s clothing line she co-founded. She enjoys making things, being in nature, and chocolate chip cookies. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband.