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About the Book

Little Bird is all aflutter—too many things to do. Elephant cries with frustration when a shoelace breaks. Rabbit tries so hard and loses the race anyway. But what about Slow Lizard? 

Just like my name, I live a slow, slow life. 
And because I live a slow life, 
I see many things, 
I hear many things, 
and I have lots of time to help my friends.

Meandering through a sunny forest, Slow Lizard’s friends learn how wonderful it is to slow down together. Filled with blooming trees and fluffy flower beds, It’s OK, Slow Lizard glows with the beauty of a hidden magical world, where we take the time to help each other enjoy life—even when the rain comes.

View the Illustrations

Praise for It’s OK, Slow Lizard

“Together, Yoon's soothing prose, Jian Kim's winsome spreads, and Chi-Young Kim's crisp translation create a comforting, multi-layered literary gift to return to for many years (decades!) to come.”

—Terry Hong, Shelf Awareness, Starred Review

“Kim’s rich colored-pencil illustrations, in a sweet pastel palette, portray the adorable friend group enjoying tea, apples, and picture books with peaceful smiles in their forest home. Readers and nonreaders alike will surely love quietly enjoying the lovingly rendered, abundant details in the combination of full spreads, Slow Lizard and Little Bird’s teatime on giant, pillowy peonies, in particular. Comforting as a cup of flower tea shared with a friend.”

—Kirkus Reviews

“Textural illustrations in soft colors depict the narrative in spreads that invite long pauses, emphasizing Slow Lizard's mindfulness…. The reassuring, encouraging narrative has a gentle tone, and the closing point, that ‘rain will always stop, and the sky will always clear up,’ is a useful one for kids experiencing big emotions. A quiet book with a meaningful message, winsomely told.”

—Shelle Rosenfeld, Booklist

“I want to live in this charming world and be Slow Lizard's friend! Every page is a delight and smile-inducing. Such a timely reminder not to rush back into rushing.”

—Jane Park, author of Juna’s Jar

“Oh, wow! This book’s beautiful illustrations and mindful message inspired me to take a slow, deep breath on every page. It’s a picture-perfect reminder to slow down when anxiety creeps in. And not only does it reclaim the word ‘slow’ as a positive quality, it shows readers how special it is to befriend those who are different from you. I also loved the center-set poetic text, which took my hand and led me on a leisurely stroll from cover to cover.” 

—Mary Wahlmeier, Raven Book Store (Lawrence, KS)

“With lovely illustrations, tons of warmth, and even more heart, this book shines with friendship and the secret to truly enjoying life.”

—Tonja Drecker, Bookworm for Kids 

“Delightful, whimsical, and sweet, Slow Lizard is a calm and observant little creature, and he’s great at helping his friends calm down and feel better. I would love to see more of Slow Lizard and his friends.”

—Andrew King, Secret Garden Bookshop (Seattle, WA)

“In a world that moves at lightning speed, It’s Ok, Slow Lizard provides a necessary reminder that much can be lost in the hustle of everyday life if one isn’t careful. This lesson is essential for children to absorb as they grow and develop into healthy, well-balanced teenagers and adults. Their schedules are often overflowing with activities and commitments, so they’ll likely relate to this poignant message and will adore the precious animals woven through the story. The illustrations feature soft, autumn hues and complement the warm, gentle tone of the text. Youth ages four to eight will savor this sweet tale.”

—Manhattan Book Review

“Author Yeorim Yoon sets up the narrative structure, prose and punctuation in a way that encourages us to read at the pace at which Slow Lizard moves: slowly and thoughtfully, with (line) breaks. The illustrations are carefully shaded with soft edges. Illustrator Jian Kim uses negative space around all the objects, creating a glowy effect and treating each leaf, fruit and animal with care…. We watch Slow Lizard walk each animal through their anxieties, frustrations, and losses of the day…. The book doesn’t emphasize that any one trait is superior—being slow or fast, anxious or calm, big or small, good or bad…. For elementary and middle schoolers who are beginning to learn about the traits they most admire about themselves while also perhaps being pressured to be more of something they’re not, the book is a sweet reminder that everyone has something to offer, and we can turn to our friends when we need help or want to share the best parts of ourselves.”

—Thaomi Michelle Dinh, International Examiner

“I was peaceful and cozy reading this beautifully illustrated picture book about a group of animals helping each other be calm. The pace is pleasingly slow, almost hypnotic, and a feeling of warm acceptance comes through clearly. Just lovely.”

—Robin Stern, Books Inc. (Santa Clara, CA)

About the Author

Yeorim Yoon is from Ulsan, South Korea. She is a former editor of children’s books at various publishers as well as the Samsung Children’s Museum in Seoul. She currently lives in San Diego, where she leads a life that is both busy and slow as a mother and author of children’s books.

About the Illustrator

About the Translator

Chi-Young Kim is an award-winning literary translator and editor based in Los Angeles. A recipient of the Man Asian Literary Prize (2011), she has translated more than a dozen books, including works by Kyung-sook Shin, You-jeong Jeong, Young-ha Kim, and Ae-ran Kim.

Book Details

Hardcover ISBN: 9781632062772 • $18.95
Publication date: Sep 28, 2021
9.45" × 8.67" • 42 pages
Children's Fiction—Picture Book / Korea / Animals / Emotions • Ages 3–6
Rights: World English
eBook ISBN: 9781632062789