초등학생 태오의 영국 생활기

In 2012, a 12-year-old Korean boy named 태오 moved to the UK with his parents. The family would spend a year there for his mother's research, and realising that the time would fly by, he decided to keep a diary.

Since the diary begins in summer, I've been reading the corresponding day's entry, and quite enjoying it. Although I haven't finished it yet (and won't until next summer, it seems!), I would like to recommend it for Korean learners just starting to read native material.

There are several aspects that make this a good choice for beginners:

• Format The diary format is appealing as centers around daily life, and so is full of normal, everyday language that is most useful for beginners.
• Chapter Length Each entry is very short, usually only a few paragraphs, so can be read fairly quickly.
• Content Being a diary, the book mostly contains descriptions of everyday life, such as school, home life, friends, days out, etc. As he is living in the UK, there are a lot of cultural aspects that will be familiar to English speakers.
• Style 태오 generally writes in a straightforward manner, describing what he did that day, the places he visited, and the people he talked to. Since he was 12 when he was writing it, and his aim was to record his year abroad, the writing is usually simple and concise.
• Grammar As 태오 is usually describing his day and making observations, the grammar he uses is very easy and straightforward. These basic grammar patterns are reinforced with each day's entry, and so far there hasn’t been any complex or advanced grammar to speak of.
• Vocabulary Easy, but covering a wide range of topics, so you’re always learning something new. For example, the family’s visits the British Museum, which introduces a range of new vocab: 유물 (artefacts), 미라 (Egyptian mummy), 청자 (celadon), etc. When referring to places, names, or unfamiliar/unusual words, he often includes the English, too:

도착하자마자 지하철을 타고 대영박물관(British Museum)에 갔어요.

The one thing it doesn't have over a novel, for example, is a gripping storyline. Although it is an interesting read, especially regarding his observations of cultural differences, you're probably not going to binge this they way you might with an unputdownable thriller.

Overall, it's an excellent book for beginners looking for native material at their level. The common vocabulary and simple grammar makes it a good choice for those wishing to develop their reading skills, and at 500+ pages, you'll get a lot of practice!