A bad day is not a bad life (Hardcover)

Author Jeong Mun-jeong · Publisher Seogyo Books · Published 2026-01-28 · ISBN 9791199555136

About the Book

"Bad things can happen to anyone! But it's not a bad day!"

This picture book depicts a day in the life of the main character. While playing excitedly, I fall on the playground, getting my favorite dress dirty, and then argue with a friend over who gets to play with a toy first. I even get a word wrong on a vocabulary quiz given by the teacher. In the end, I burst into tears, declaring, "Today is really a bad day!" It is then that a clock fairy appears before me and asks, "Why do you keep calling today a bad day?"

Led by the clock fairy's magic, I look back on my day. My teacher hugged me when I fell on the playground, my friend apologized first after our fight, and I made a big contribution to the quiz with my friends! Only then do I realize that it wasn't just bad things that happened all day. The main character grows a little more, learning that bad things can happen to anyone, but that doesn't determine the mood of the day.

"A lovely picture book that helps children view their day in a multi-faceted way."
Professor Chun Geun-ah, a renowned expert in child and adolescent development in Korea, shares the 'power of resilience.'

According to research by scholars, children aged 24 months and older experience emotions similar to adults due to brain development. However, they are still clumsy at understanding the cause and effect of emotions, so they remember their day more by the 'feelings' left behind than by 'events.' So, what emotions do they particularly remember for a long time? Generally, negative emotions are stronger and last longer than positive emotions. Psychologists call this 'Negativity Bias.' Even for adults, it's not easy to return to a balanced state of mind once negative emotions set in, so it's certainly not easy for children to skillfully handle negative emotions.

Children are prone to perceiving an entire day as a 'bad day' even from a small argument with a friend or a minor disappointment. If this emotional perception is repeated, momentary frustration or anger can not only solidify into a negative memory of the entire day but also lead to self-evaluation. Therefore, rather than suppressing or eliminating bad feelings, it is most important for children to acknowledge those feelings as they are, then re-examine the day and experience a shift in mood. This experience is the first step for children to grow into resilient adults.

Professor Chun Geun-ah, who supervised this book, says that "Even if Bad Things Happen, It's Not a Bad Day" is a picture book that delicately addresses these points. This book helps children view their day in a multi-faceted way without denying their negative emotions, and naturally cultivates the ability to find balance amidst various emotions. Furthermore, it conveys the message, at a child's eye level, that a change in perspective can alter the memory of a day, without dwelling solely on negative emotions.

Does your child get overly upset about small things? Do they give up easily when things don't go their way? Does it pain you to see them dwell on trivial mistakes for a long time, or torment themselves to do everything perfectly? If so, read this heartwarming picture book now. They will naturally learn that it's okay for a day not to be perfect, to accept their feelings in the moment without denying or suppressing them, and the power to manage their emotions through a change in perspective.

[Author's Note]

One day, my child came home from kindergarten, face flushed, and said,
"Today was really a bad day. My friend teased me."
I comforted them first. But the child still didn't seem to feel better. They kept fuming. They even said,
"Today is the worst day of my life!"
I drew a large circle on a piece of paper and marked the time. I asked my child to write down what happened today. As we looked back on the day together, I asked if bad things had happened for a moment or all day. My child looked at the clock for a long time and then said in a calmer voice,
"Bad things happened for a little while."
After that, similar incidents happened a few times. Whenever my child was tearful, I would draw a large clock and wait. The child would mark circles and X's as things came to mind, then look at them for a moment. Then one day, my child came to me and said,
"Some bad things happened today. But it's not a bad day."
This book contains the story I consistently shared with my child, who would say everything was ruined if they found a part they didn't like while drawing or playing with blocks. I want to convey to you, as well as to my child, the feeling of not being overwhelmed by a part. It's perfectly fine for a day not to be perfect. If you feel like you've had a particularly difficult day, why don't you try drawing a clock yourself?
_Writer, Jeong Mun-jeong

Sometimes, when we see adults expressing emotions impulsively, we say they are "childish." But conversely, it also means that children have a wide range of emotions and express them honestly. Children learn much faster and understand much more deeply than adults think. I wanted to fully capture the diverse and honest emotions that children possess in this picture book.
In life, everyone encounters moments when they are upset or feel bad. While we cannot change what has already happened, we can choose how we view it.
I hope children learn, through this book, how to view things that upset or made them feel bad from a different perspective. That ultimately, it's up to their own hearts to decide whether something is good or bad. I drew this with the wish that everyone who reads this book, no matter what upsetting things may have happened, can look closely at their feelings and greet tomorrow with a renewed sense of excitement. I hope children always have bright days.
_Illustrator, Pidok


* Certification type: Supplier conformity confirmation

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