“I used to think of swimming only as a hobby, but after encountering the term ‘survival swimming,’ my perspective changed. I realized that swimming can be considered a form of ‘self-defense sport’—something you learn to protect yourself. Some children may be eager to learn survival swimming, while others may be less willing. I hope this book can offer a little encouragement to both types of children.” — Shin Hyun-kyung

“I saw an elderly lady swimming at a resort. I took one look at her, tried to imitate her, and ended up learning to swim—something I had never done before. My stroke was more of a doggy paddle, but from that day on, I began to enjoy playing in the water. I hope the children who read this book will also become familiar with water and discover the joy of playing in it.” — Noh Ye-ji

“I want to read this book with the children, who, like a little cat learning to swim, are eager to take on any challenge.” — Seo Young-in, Sangwol Elementary School Teacher

★ Rights sold to Taiwan and Thailand.
★ Recommended book by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Children's Library, and awarded multiple official recommendations including the 2025 Gwangju City Book of the Year!
★ Series sales exceed 200,000 copies, topping the charts for 28 consecutive weeks.
★ The unique premise of cats learning to swim weaves climate crisis and disaster preparedness education into an adorable, engaging story—edutainment at its best.
★ Noh Ye-ji's exquisite watercolor illustrations and Shin Hyun-kyung's delightful storytelling combine to create a highly recognizable cat IP.

This series currently consists of 5 books total:
4 books already published, including Cat Swimming Class, Cherry Blossom Pool, Flame Swimming Race, and Everyone's Pool.
1 book forthcoming, scheduled for publication within 2026.

Cat Swimming Class

This is my first time swimming! The most heroic challenge in feline history!

This is a book so adorable you won't want to put it down. Artist Noh Ye-ji, renowned for her exquisite cat watercolors, and writer Shin Hyun-kyung, known for creating educational yet entertaining children's books, have teamed up to bring us a summer story about cats learning to swim.

The story follows Naru, Mingkeu, and Bebe, who gather at a campsite during summer vacation. The three cats are enjoying their time together when suddenly a torrential rainstorm hits. The rain doesn't stop until the third day, but the roads and houses of Yaho Village are flooded. Because of the extreme weather, the affected cats worry that a typhoon could strike again at any moment, so they gather at the community center to discuss a plan. During the discussion, someone suggests that the cats must learn to swim. Since a few cats nearly fell into the water during the downpour and narrowly escaped disaster, they realize the importance of swimming and decide to build a pool first. The young cats—the “Meow Stars”—are required to attend swimming lessons. Naru, who hates swimming more than football; Mingkeu, who is excited even though she has no idea what swimming is; and Bebe, who is afraid of the water—they each put on their goggles and head to “Meow Star Swimming Class.” This is the story of these cats, gasping “Woops~, woops~,” as they face new challenges, feeling nervous, excited, running away, and making mistakes along the way.

Cherry Blossom Pool

A cat who hates water learns to swim because of the climate crisis? After the first volume was published, readers demanded a sequel. Finally, on a cherry blossom-filled spring day, the second volume Cherry Blossom Pool was released. In this volume, the kittens begin to seriously learn survival swimming in order to protect themselves in emergencies. Their learning environment expands from the pool to the village lake, offering more diverse scenery and richer stories. On a spring day, as cherry blossoms dance in the wind, the kittens challenge themselves by swimming in the lake. Will they be able to float as lightly as the petals? The backstory of Coach Hao—a character countless readers have been curious about—is also revealed under the light of the full moon.

Flame Swimming Race

The beloved Cat Swimming Class series returns with a powerful third volume! The cats have now grown enough to enjoy swimming and take on new challenges in the third volume, Flame Swimming Race. They decide to compete in a swimming race held in “Flame Village.” Young Mingkeu, in particular, is determined to win and make her parents proud. However, their physical stamina can't keep up with their enthusiasm, and a series of mistakes puts them in difficult positions. Can the cats of Yaho Village believe in themselves and fight until the very end? Stay tuned for a flame-fueled showdown that burns hotter than the Winter Olympics!

Everyone's Pool

With enduring popularity, the fourth volume is now here. In this volume, the pool at Yaho Village is temporarily closed for renovations, being transformed into a “pool for everyone” so that cats with disabilities can swim too. Meanwhile, the cats of Yaho Village travel with Fleur to “Oasis Village” in the desert. There, they witness D.D., who uses a wheelchair, enjoying sand sledding, taking a bus to stargaze, and naturally learning to swim. Through this desert journey, the cats begin to reflect on what a society looks like where everyone can live freely and harmoniously together.

[Author] Shin Hyun-kyung

After working for many years as a producer of children's magazines, she became a children's story writer.

She won the 5th Changbi Children's New Literature Award for a young adult short story.
She received the Blue Literature Award Future Writer Prize and the KB Creative Children's Story Encouragement Award for her full-length children's story The Library of Anything You Want.
Her works have been selected as outstanding published content, including Pinky Pig Robot, the “Sock Witch” series, My Dog-Raising Diary, Jobs Who Got Sick from Worry, and Superstar Who Ate His Meal.

[Illustrator] Noh Ye-ji

An illustrator who primarily paints cats.
She works with the mindset of “what if cats did the things I love instead of busy old me.”
Her illustrated works include Grumpy Cat and Cat Stove.