★Author Lee Geum-yi was shortlisted for the 2024 “International Hans Christian Andersen Award for Authors” and is regarded as a pioneer writer of Korean youth literature, and has authorized many children’s literature works in China.
★This book tells the bittersweet love story of adolescence, vividly depicting the excitement, worry and pain of teenagers when they first fall in love.
★In the author’s writing, the nature of first love is a process of self-discovery and growth.

Five collections of young adults’ stories by 2024 International Hans Christian Andersen Award shortlisted author Lee Geum-yi:
“The Whale in My Pocket”
“Hello, My First Love”
“Cliff”
“The Dance of Marionette”
“Us, In the Land of the Giants”

Dong-jae is going through the hardest time in his life due to his father’s remarriage, when Yeon-ah breaks into Dong-jae’s heart, and like a ray of sunshine, he succeeds in confessing his love to her and starts a “secret love affair” with her. However, adolescent love does not always go as expected. Dong-jae keeps making Yeon-ah feel sad and their relationship becomes more and more tense. It is said that love requires the right time and the right place, so when did Dong-jae miss the right time?

Dong-jae’s first love was not a failure because it was a process of self-discovery and growth. At some point, Dong-jae may have understood his father’s words, “If I help you grow, then love will have a happy ending, no matter how it ends.” By recognizing the “timing” and “secret” of the love he missed and understanding Yeon-ah’s emotions, Dong-jae’s “goodbye” is his breakup with his immature self. The author supports all the love in the world and hopes that the readers of this book will also grow through encounters and farewells!