The Shape of Feelings

Written by

Written & Illustrated by Lee Kyung-guk | Published by Paper Dog
Alt text: The Shape of Feelings Korean picture book by Lee Kyung-guk

Night slowly deepens,
and dawn waits quietly for morning.

Did you sleep well?

When you open your eyes in the morning,
what kind of feeling do you have?

A warm yellow sunshine might make you feel happy.
Sudden rain might make you feel a little down.

Sometimes you may feel like sleeping a little longer.
Sometimes yesterday’s memories might bring an uneasy feeling.

In this picture book, the author expresses emotions through
different shapes and characters — glasses, ice cream, scissors, cups, and more.

Feelings do not always look the same.
They change depending on the moment and the situation.

The author shares that even unpleasant feelings he experienced were transformed into these “shapes of feelings.”

And he gently suggests something important.

When that happens, take one step back and look around.

What We See When We Step Back

When we step back and look at our emotions from a little distance,
we may realize that many different feelings exist within us.

Among them, there are also feelings that comfort us
and quietly warm our hearts.

Feelings are never just one thing.
Both good feelings and difficult ones are natural parts of life.

What if we tried placing our feelings
into a shape we like?

Perhaps doing so might help us see our emotions
in a softer and kinder way.

The Shape of Feelings
is a thoughtful picture book that gently invites readers
to look inside their hearts.