2016년 1월 '작가와 함께 그림책 읽는 아이' 행사 후기-<까만 코다>를 읽었어요!

1월 16일, 토요일 오후 3시.
그림책 작가와 어린이들이 만나는 스물아홉 번째 '작가와 함께 그림책 읽는 아이' 행사가 열렸습니다. 
KBBY, 국립어린이청소년도서관이 공동주최하고 아름다운가게가 주관하는 이 행사는 세종문화회관 옆 세종로 주차빌딩 지하1층 아름다운 가게 어린이헌책방에서 매달 셋째 토요일에 열립니다. 

이날 사회는 행사기획자인 임정진 작가가 맡아 진행하였고, 첫 순서는 자매가 모인 공연팀 에레누의 가야금 공연이었습니다. 에레누는 '그림책 읽는 아이' 행사에 여러 달째 재능기부를 해주러 와주고 있습니다. 이번 행사에는 <아리랑>변주곡을 연주했습니다. 두 번째는 음악 그룹 작은음악가들의 <렛잇고>, <북극곰아>였습니다. 청중은 작은 음악가들의 기타, 바이올린, 멜로디혼, 노래소리가 어우러진 공연을 감상할 수 있었습니다.

두 번째 코너는 알리시아 방동주 선생님의 영어 스토리텔링 시간이었습니다. 알리시아 선생님은 여러 국제 스토리텔링축제에서 한국 이야기를 영어로 발표하며 한국 문화 알리기에 힘쓰는 분입니다. <손 큰 할머니의 만두 만들기> 이야기를 영어로 재미나게 이야기해주셨습니다. 어린이들은 동물 역할을 맡아 함께 스토리텔링에 참여하고, 영어로 간단한 문장을 말해보는 기회도 가졌습니다.

이번 달에 모신 그림책 작가는 이루리 선생님이었습니다. 이루리 선생님은 어린이들에게 <똑똑해지는 약>과 <까만 코다>를 읽어주셨습니다. <똑똑해지는 약>은 어리석은 타조와 영리한 양의 이야기입니다. 이루리 선생님은 엄청난 에너지와 활력으로 목소리를 바꾸어가면서 재미나게 책을 입체 낭독해주셨고 어린이와 어른 모두 까르르 웃으며 이야기에 빠져들게 했습니다. 

이루리 선생님은 또 <까만 코다>를 쓰게 된 계기에 대해서 설명해주었습니다. 북극곰들에 대해 배우면서 하얀 눈밭에는 북극곰들의 유일한 약점이 그들의 까만 코라는 걸 알게 됐습니다. 북극곰들은 이 약점을 알고, 사냥꾼들이 사냥할 때 얼음덩어리로 코를 가린다는 것을 알게 되어, 그 점이 신기하고 재미나 책으로 만들고 싶다는 생각을 하셨습니다. 그렇게 <까만 코다>라는 그림책이 탄생했습니다. 엄마와 꼬마 북극곰이 까만 코 때문에 사냥꾼한테 걸릴 뻔 할 때 엄마와 꼬마 북극곰은 서로의 코를 가려주어 온통 흰색인 눈 속에서 안전할 수 있었습니다. 관객들은 그 소중하고 아름다운 사랑 이야기에 감동했습니다.

그후 어린이들은 북극곰 가면을 만들었습니다. 아름다운 가게 직원들은 어린이들에게 반쯤 완성된 곰 가면을 나누었습니다. 어린이들은 가면을 조립하고 까만 코를 붙였습니다.

이런 모든 활동이 끝난 후 작가 사인회가 있었습니다. 이루리 작가의 책을 구매한 어린이들은 작가에게 직접 사인을 직접 받고 기념으로 즉석사진도 찍었습니다.  어린이 뿐만 아니라 그림책 공부하는 어른들도 함께 참여하는 행사로 자리매김하고 있습니다. 셋째 토요일 오후 시간은 이렇게 알차고 즐겁게 마무리되었습니다.

 
새롭게 행사 파트너가 된 국립어린이청소년도서관의 관장님과 담당직원도 행사를 지켜보시고 격려해주셨습니다. 2016년도 첫 그림책 읽는 아이 행사에 와주신 작가분들과 어린이 여러분 감사합니다. 새해 복 많이 받으세요.

사진/글_박세연
기획/연출_임정진
진행_신지호
주최_국립어린이청소년도서관, KBBY 
주관_아름다운가게

January 'Reading Picturebooks with Authors' Event
On January 16th, at 3pm. The 29th 'Reading Picture Books with Authors' event opened. (Hosted by KBBY, Beautiful Store) 
It is located at the Beautiful Store bookstore at the first basement of the Sejong parking building.

First, the gayageum trio El et Nous came to perform the traditional Korean song <Arirang> at the 'Reading Picturebooks with Authors' event.
Their ever-improving musical talents never fail to impress, and we look forward to their next performance.
Then, musical group The Little Musicians had a strings performance, playing songs <Let It Go> and <Polar Bear>.

Then, international storyteller Mrs. Alicia Bang told the story <Making Dumplings with Big-Handed Grandma>, written by Insun Chae and illustrated by Ukbae Lee. Using props and having children from the audience participate, Mrs. Alicia Bang carried us all on the big-handed grandmother’s venture to create delicious dumplings, as many do for the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday.
Children in the audience were able to act as characters in the story, helping the others follow along with the storyline and practicing basic English.

Next, childrens’ book author Rury Lee introduced himself and his book, <The Black Nose>. Rury Lee told the audience of how he was learning about polar bears when he had discovered that their greatest weakness in the vast expanses of snow were in fact their small black noses. Lee had also learned that the polar bears were aware of their weaknesses and consequently used snow to cover their noses when hunting. Thus came the inspiration for his story <The Black Nose>, which follows a mother and baby polar bear who are almost caught by a hunter. Thankfully the two successfully hide from the hunter’s grasp as they cover each other’s noses, and the audience was touched by the short but sweet story.

Rury Lee also read his story <The Medicine that Makes One Smarter>, a comical tale of a foolish ostrich and a clever lamb. Lee’s variety of voices and vibrant energy while reading made the story all the more entertaining for everyone in the audience.

Afterwards the children were given paper to create polar masks. Younger children were given pre-made masks and pasted black noses onto them. Lastly, audience members were able to receive signatures and take Polaroid pictures with Rury Lee.
We look forward to having more special events where children will be able to interact with authors in the future.

Planning by Jeongjin Lim
Event by Jiho Shin
Managed by The Beautiful Store
Hosted by The Korea National Library for Children and Young Adults & KBBY
Reported & Photographed by Seiyeon Park