Photo by Cat Laine
Hannah Chung is the author and illustrator of the new children's picture book The Most Perfect Persimmon. Also an entrepreneur, she lives in Providence, Rhode Island, and in Seoul, South Korea.
Q: What inspired you to create The Most Perfect Persimmon?
A: Persimmons, especially hongshis – the most ripened persimmons – have a special place in my heart because of my grandmother. Hongshis are mushy, wrinkled, and juicy desserts. My favorite memory is enjoying them with her during Chuseok, the fall harvest festival.
A few years ago, I spent extended time in Korea with my grandmother, enjoying tea times, sharing stories, and going on many walks. I realized how much I longed for such experiences. Those moments and memories inspired me to create The Most Perfect Persimmon.
Q: Did you work on the text or the illustrations first--or both simultaneously?
A: I wrote a rough story synopsis first to capture the core of Joo Hong’s journey. I also doodled key moments like Joo Hong crying with her mushy persimmons in front of Grandma. These notes and drawings provided many ideas while writing the first draft.
Once the text was more developed, I began working on the illustrations by creating storyboards to develop a fuller art vision and figure out the pacing and rhythm of the story.
For the final art, I used the vibrant scarlet of the persimmons as my main color guide and chose other colors inspired by the fall season to bring the story to life.
Q: The Kirkus Review of the book says, “Little ones fixated on the idea of perfection will find a kindred spirit in Joo Hong... A delectable tale that will guide young readers to reexamine their own perceptions.” What do you think of that assessment?
A: I was delighted to see this review! It perfectly captures what I hoped the readers would take away from the story: It’s okay when things don’t go perfectly as planned, and the journey may take unexpected turns. While the outcome might not be what we envisioned, it can still bring us joy. It’s all about celebrating the journey and appreciating who we have become along the way!
Q: How did you develop your artistic style?
A: I’ve always loved drawing people and capturing their feelings. Back in 2016, I created a daily comic diary for two years using ink on paper. This experience showed me how much I enjoy finding humor in mundane moments and bringing a range of emotions into my art.
I later switched to digital art, mainly using Procreate on the iPad, which allowed me to add many textures, layers, and colors - almost like mixed media. You can see a lot of these experiments in Joo Hong’s emotions and the persimmon tree in the book.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I’m currently working on my second book with Astra Young Readers! While I can’t share too many details yet, I can say that it’s about celebrating memories with a food component and lots of emotions, just like The Most Perfect Persimmon.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: As a debut author-illustrator, I’m really excited to connect with future readers! Feel free to follow me on Instagram @_hchung to stay in touch and follow my journey. 😊
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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