Aram Kim, a passionate children’s book author and illustrator, visited DIS to inspire young writers in grades K-2 in the burst of September sunshine. Her presence gifted elementary students an opportunity to dive into the world of literature and meet an actual author in person, rather than a face on the back cover of a book. She pens stories that embrace traditional Korean customs, and her work inspires kids to connect with and ponder upon their cultural identity.

“Last year, I came across her website and learned about her. First-graders read her book, and we arranged a session online with the author. After that, we emailed back and forth, and we were able to arrange an in-person event with all K-2 students participating,” said kindergarten teacher Ms. Suozzo, who reached out to Kim and helped initiate the event.

The author’s presentation mesmerized students who already adored her from their favorite stories. “I liked that she came here because I loved her books, and only saw her from pictures, so it was good to see her in person. I had fun learning to draw Yoomi (the protagonist in her books), and I like authors, so I hope more authors will visit here next year,” said Yerial Hur in second grade.

Kim’s cherished experiences and memories of her childhood spent in Korea seep through the pages of her titles. “It felt very natural for me to write about Korean culture, just because I know it the most. I’ve been living in the U.S. for a few years, and I saw how people’s minds have shifted over time. People in the older generation, like my parents, would not want to pass down Korean culture to our kids. They would want us to blend into the mainstream U.S. culture. But now, as these kids grew up and became parents, they passed down Korean culture to young kids, and they were more used to Korean customs,” said Kim. 

Influenced by her surroundings, Kim decided to devote herself to passing on her culture in a unique way. “I noticed there weren’t many picture books about Korean culture, [so] I decided to illustrate my books about that,” she said.

Even though many Korean students at DIS grew up in Daegu, they might overlook their roots due to daily exposure to an American curriculum. Kim’s work reconnected kids to their culture and simultaneously introduced local traditions to foreigners. Enthusiastic readers left with a renewed ardor for writing and enjoying books. 

“I was not actually interested in her in the beginning, but as my dad talked to me about how she is an author and how great she is, I became more interested. I enjoyed the event, and I think I got to like reading and writing books more than before. I want to be like her,” said Hur. 

Students enjoyed their exclusive interaction, and they aspire to become better writers in class. With this initial invitation, DIS hopes to bring more authors to our campus, providing youngsters a chance to investigate different areas of interest from those who paved the way before them.