- Overview
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Through the scariest, yet childlike old man that lives next door, this picture book exemplifies the proverb that old habits die hard.
- Book Intro
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(English) The Old Man Next Door
“I’m afraid of the old man next door. He has wrinkles all over his face, and the way he talks is scary. In contrast, I think my newborn brother is beyond adorable. Why aren’t adults as lovely as babies? Look at the old man next door. Whenever we meet, he thunders, “You’re not even saying hello to me?” I always rush home, startled and breathless. It would be nice if he didn't talk to me at all, but he always yells at me. Then, I see my old neighbor in my dreams, but he suddenly turns into a young child. He was such a scary, grumpy old man, but he wasn't scary in my dream. He was good for nothing. He was not good at Ttakjichigi games or tree climbing. He even screamed that he was scared of rabbits when he was feeding them. His habitual shouting never left. People say that old habits die hard, and I’m sure this proverb holds true. I’ll have to think about whether I’ll spend time with him again because of his nasty yelling habit.”
- About the Author
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Ha Young
(English) After graduating from the Department of Painting at Hongik University, Ha Young further studied picture books at SI Picture Book. She illustrated books including Rumbling, The Sound of Acorns in the Autumn Forest, My Shoes’ Birthday, and Shall I Do It? She also wrote and illustrated books including The Old Man Next Door and I Like to Walk. Thinking that everyone was once a child, she wrote The Old Man Next Door.
- Recommendation
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This book was recommended for early childhood educational institutions and public libraries by The Morning Reading in 2019.
